Consequences of Love and War
by bentnotbroken1
Summary: (War Drabble Series set in a Voldemort Wins AU timeline.) Draco Malfoy, Death Eater and turncoat, is doing his best to navigate this new and darker world when something unexpected is thrown into his lap. His life changes instantly and the urge to overthrow his Lord grows stronger as he realizes time is running out. (kid fic)
1. Part I

**_AN: This is a War Drabble Series, taken from my tumblr to be published on here and AO3. It's a Voldemort wins war AU._**

 ** _Shout out toGryff in the Game for helping me come up with an appropriate title for the Drabble Collection._**

* * *

 **Saturday**

 **March 6, 2004**

A pair of well-worn leather boots splashed through the newly formed puddles along the cobblestone street, running from the sounds of snapping teeth and guttural growls.

If there was anything Hermione Granger hated more than Death Eaters, it was their _dogs._ They had absolutely no use for them other than to torment people.

She cursed as she tripped over an uneven section of stone, twisting her ankle. She ignored the pain as she continued on, running as fast as her body allowed her. She couldn't get caught now. Not like this. She had people to protect. She wouldn't be hunted down in the street by a sodding Rottweiler. She saw an opening in an alley and took it, climbing up onto a dumpster and jumping over the wooden fence separating the two sides of it.

The dog stopped at the fence and barked angrily as she ran further away from it.

And she didn't stop running. Not until she saw the dirty brick and mortar townhouse where they'd been staying the last four months. She took a note of her surroundings and made sure there was no one following her before she sprinted to the backside of the building.

Hermione threw open the rickety door and slammed it shut behind her, leaning heavily against it as she caught her breath and tried to still her racing heart. That was close.

 _Too close._

"Are you _alright_?" Harry asked, walking into the kitchen and staring at her in alarm.

"Yes, yes." She groaned. "I'm fine. Sorry. One of those blasted dogs caught my scent. But don't worry. I lost it." She assured him as she limped slightly out of the kitchen and into the foyer.

"Let me fix that." He said, following after her. "I'll be right back."

She complied and sat down in a chair, taking off her boot and sock. The ankle was swelling and throbbed painfully. She was was rather grateful when Harry returned and wrapped it for her. When he was done he gave her an odd look and she furrowed her brow. "What?"

"Nothing. I just...I sent you out two days ago and you come back with a sprained ankle and probably an array of bruises. I was concerned."

"Well, you shouldn't have been. I got what was sent out for." She told him, pulling the package out of her coat pocket and handing it to him.

He opened it and nodded. "Thank you. I know it was a difficult task, but we needed the medicine."

"You don't have to explain your decisions to me, Harry. I know just as much as you do. I was the only one that could do it."

"But, Hermione, you _can't_ keep doing this." Harry sighed, taking his glasses into his hands and cleaning them with his shirt. "I know you want to be involved every step of the way, and Merlin knows I need you and we need the help, but at this rate, you're going to burn out. When that happens what will you do? You can't keep running on pure adrenaline."

"I'm. Fine." She bit out, crossing her arms and leveling him with a glare. How dare he. She knew what she was doing.

He just shook his head, knowing how stubborn she was. "Alright. Maybe you _are_ fine. Maybe you _can_ keep going on mission after mission, but they're catching on. They're getting better at spotting us." He said. "And the bloody dogs? They're using them more often now. You got lucky today. What if you aren't so lucky next time? What would have happened if you'd had Rhea with you?"

"Oh, don't start with the _what if's_ , Harry. Rhea was fine. She was safe with Ginny. I would never bring her with me on a mission."

"And the market? Do you bring her with you when you go there?"

She felt the atmosphere in the room shift and it made her pause. "I do, but...why is that relevant?"

"Lavender's younger sister Daisy was snatched this morning while they were getting provisions. And she's not the only one. There's been a few members or associates of The Resistance taken in the last week. All of them were just doing mundane things. No missions, no drawing attention. I'm worried about the kids and what they'd do if we didn't come back. Or what _we'd_ do if _they_ were taken."

"And what do you suggest we do? We've tried sneaking them out once, and that attempt went as horribly as I had imagined it to go. So how do you suppose we get James and Rhea out of here?"

He looked pointedly at her. "Rhea's father."

She clenched her jaw and stamped down the rising anxiety in her chest. "You know why I can't do that."

"Hermione, you may not have a choice. If he can get Rhea out-"

"I won't abandon her!"

"I'm not suggesting you _abandon_ her. I'm suggesting you find a way to get her the hell out of London, or at the very least _safe_."

"Oh, yes. Because being surrounded by _Death Eaters_ would be _really_ safe, Harry." She mocked, throwing her hands in the air.

"I'm not particularly fond of that aspect of it either, but it's a _chance_. What other options are there?"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I'll find one."

He sighed in defeat. "Well, just think about it. _Please_. You know I would never suggest it if I thought it wouldn't work. It may be the only way to get the kids out of this mess we've created." And with that, he turned from her and headed upstairs.

She stood there, alone in the foyer, for a while until she felt a tug on her hand.

"What's wrong, Mummy?" A tiny voice squeaked. "Are you ok?"

She forced a smiled and bent down to the little girls level, pulling her into a hug. "Everything is fine, darling. Mummy is just figuring things out."

"Grown up things?" She asked, looking up at her mother cautiously, her blue eyes shining in the lamp light.

Hermione nodded and kissed her little girl on the head before maneuvering her into the living room where James sat on the floor playing with an enchanted train and Ginny held a book in her hand. The woman regarded her silently, turning a page as Hermione sat down beside her on the couch. They didn't need to speak to know that Ginny had heard her and Harry's exchange.

Rhea said something to James and then climbed onto the couch, laying her head down in her mother's lap. She was always clingy after Hermione went on missions. Rhea was too young to know what it meant, there was only so much a four-year-old mind had the capacity to understand, but she knew it was something bad. Something bad had to be happening for her mum to be gone for two days.

Hermione blinked back tears as she thought about what the little girl must think. Even though it was all necessary, she did feel the guilt only a mother could have.

Minutes ticked by and soon soft snores filled the room. Rhea was fast asleep and James suddenly looked up from his toy and yawned, scrambling up off the floor in his toddler grace. Ginny rose and picked him up, holding him close to her chest. He whined for a moment but let his mother lull him into slumber in her arms.

Ginny turned and finally looked at Hermione, sitting down slowly, positioning herself so that she could see her and remain comfortable with the little boy in her lap. Hermione shifted slightly, knowing that the other witch wanted to talk. They'd been sitting in silence too long So something was bound to break.

Ginny looked from Rhea to James and Hermione could already tell from the way her mouth pulled to the side that she was about to say something Hermione didn't want to hear. "What?" She asked, irritation evident in her voice. Just because she had been waiting for this, didn't mean she liked it.

Ginny frowned but still answered, "I think Harry was right. Maybe you really _should_ take her to her father."

Anger roared inside of her again. "I can't believe _you_ would actually suggest that!" She hissed. Rhea was _hers_! _Her_ responsibility. It was _her_ job to protect her. No one could take her place in Rhea's life.

"I'm just trying to help." The redhead insisted. "It's getting worse with every passing day and I'm scared, Hermione. I'm _always_ scared!" Her voice shook and when Hermione finally looked at her face she could see the shimmer of tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid that we're barely surviving and that tonight, or tomorrow, or next week they'll find us. I'm afraid every time one of us walks out that door that they won't come back. I'm afraid that they'll capture Harry and wipe out the resistance in one go. I'm afraid of what would happen if the Death Eaters got their hands on us. You know what they've been doing. You know it's only a matter of time before it all catches up with at least one of us, so don't act like everything is fine. I _know_ you're scared too."

She looked at her daughter and felt a pang in her heart. "Of course I'm scared," she whispered, "I know entirely too much to ignore the probabilities and statistics, but I won't just leave her in his care. He doesn't even know she _exists_."

"That may be true, but look at the bigger picture. Things are only going to get worse for the children from here on out. Do you know how many times we've _actually_ tried to smuggle James out of the country to Romania? Five. Five times it's failed. There's obviously no way out of this for us. But Rhea….there's _hope_ for her. He may be her best shot at surviving this, and maybe us surviving this."

Hermione brushed her fingers through her daughter's hair as she slept in her lap, and thought about all the things Ginny and Harry had said. She had been a part of the attempted smuggling of the kids to Charlie but she hadn't known how many _other_ times they'd attempted it. "I understand what you're saying, but I _can't_ let her be raised in that house. I can't let her be raised to hate and despise."

"She has too much of her mother in her to hate anyone."

She felt an irrational need to scream. "What makes you think he'd even _take_ her? What makes you think she'd be any safer with him?" There was a bitter edge to her voice but she didn't know who exactly it was directed at. "She's a _halfblood_."

"You really think he'd let anything happen to her?" her friend scoffed, "we have eyes. Even though we didn't approve, we could all see the way he looked at you. Do you really think he'd turn you away if you asked for his help? Do you really think he'd leave his daughter in danger?"

She closed her eyes, biting her lip as she thought back on their last encounter.

" _If I could stop this war I would, but I can't. At least not yet." A soft low voice spoke close to her ear. "But I_ can _get you out of London. Please, let me do this for you. Let me help you, Granger."_

" _You can't be serious. You know why I can't leave. I_ won't _leave them. I won't leave Harry. He needs me."_

 _The man sighed and shook his head, taking a step back. "Always the bleeding heart aren't you? I'm giving you a chance to escape, to get far away from all of this….horror, and you still refuse to leave his side. If you stay you'll only die for him." He tried to mask his anger but she could still hear it in his voice. "Please, I don't want to watch you die. Just... just let me_ help _you."_

" _I'm sorry, Malfoy. I appreciate your offer but I just can't take it."_

" _You're the most stubborn witch I've ever met."_

 _A tiny smirk cracked her still face "That's why you like me."_

 _He smiled sadly and kissed her one last time before parting, calling to her before he disappeared into the night."One day I'll have the power to stop this war. But until then...don't get yourself killed."_

"No," she finally admitted to Ginny. " He wouldn't let anything happen to her...even if she wasn't….even if she wasn't his, I think he would at least try to help "

The redhead held her gaze, her face as hard as stone. "Then don't be stupid, Hermione. Find Draco."


	2. Part II

**Wednesday**

 **March 17, 2004**

Draco was writing a proposal for the new Minister for Magic, the fourth one in three years, when the owl arrived. At first, he thought it was just one of many inquiries he'd received from Nott Sr. regarding his son's place in the ranks, but when he saw his name scrawled across the top his heart stalled. He did a double take and lost the ability to breathe for a moment. He'd recognized the handwriting _anywhere_.

With slightly shaking hands he broke the seal and read the contents.

 _Draco,_

 _I hope this letter finds you well. It's been so long since I've written you, and for that I'm sorry, but I'm sure you are very much aware of the dangers that come with our correspondence. I hope you don't begrudge me for it but I didn't want to jeopardize your position and I couldn't afford my location being exposed if the letters fell into the wrong hands. I made myself a promise that I wouldn't contact you until this whole mess was over, but I have no other choice. I've run out of options and I need your help. I know it's rather unfair of me to ask anything of you, after all, I turned down all of your offers in the past, but I am in a desperate situation. If this letter reaches you, and you can find it in your heart to forgive me, please meet me in the back room of the place where we last spoke at 10 o'clock in the evening on the fourth of March. I can't disclose any more information than this. The rest will have to wait until our meeting. I truly hope to see you there._

 _H. G._

He stared at the parchment and reread it until all the letters blurred together. There were no traces of enchantments, curses, or spells on the letter itself so he knew he could trust what it said.

It had just been so _long_ since he'd heard from her. Sometimes he'd wonder if she was still alive, but then he'd remember that if she were dead The Dark Lord would most likely be holding a celebration revel in her honor. But this was the absolute and undeniable proof that she was _alive_. She was alive and she needed his help.

Draco slowly made his way to the old abandoned building that used to be Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. The blonde had tried to go about his business like usual and he mostly succeeded, but he hadn't been able to curb the nervous energy inside of him so he ended up being twenty minutes early. He'd have thought his feelings for her would have waned, but obviously, that wasn't the case. As soon as that letter dropped into his lap all the thoughts and feelings he'd ever had for the woman flooded back.

Despite their history, meeting with her still posed a risk, he knew that. It could possibly be a ploy to get him alone, allowing him to be ambushed. but he highly doubted that. He was more worried about being tailed on _his_ end. He'd been extremely thorough in covering his tracks and making sure no one knew what he was doing tonight. He couldn't afford to get caught fraternizing with the enemy, not when he finally had a foot in the Inner Circle. It could honestly be the end of him, but he couldn't let this opportunity to pass him by. He just needed to _see_ her, to know she was alright. If he could just confirm that then he'd be fine.

The sound of a back door alerted him to another presence, he turned around and stood perfectly still, wand at the ready just in case he'd fucked up and had been followed. There was a soft click and then the shuffling of feet on the floor. His heart raced in anticipation. This was it. He was going to see her for the first time in _years_.

When the witch finally rounded the corner, wand also raised and as cautious as a mouse, he had to stop himself from rushing forward and taking her into his arms. She looked so….small...and tired, so unlike the vibrant Hermione of the past. The woman in front of him wasn't the shining book lover, the spirited fighter and spellcaster he'd come to know and love, this woman was war torn and defeated.

Her hair was shorter than he'd ever seen it, her curls tangling just below her ears, and her cheeks were a bit sunken in as if she was half starved. Which….she probably was. The very thought of her hiding somewhere cold and starving made his heart twist uncomfortably.

"Gr-Granger?" He winced at how gravelly his voice sounded.

She gave him a tiny forced smile. "Hello, Draco."

He pocketed his wand and raked his eyes back over her body, cataloging the bruise on her cheek and the way she slightly favored one foot. "I'd ask how you've been, but it seems that it would be incredibly pointless."

"The same could be said about you." She replied simply.

He knew she would have been keeping tabs on him. She was one of the very _very_ few that knew where his true allegiance lied, so she would know most of the things he'd been doing. The sometimes _despicable_ things he'd been doing in the best interest of this long con. It still made him feel dirty when he thought about it too long.

"So, what's this about, Granger? Your note indicated that you seemed to be in some sort of trouble."

"It's something like that, yes. I just…." She paused and bit her lip, something she always did when she was thinking about what to say. "This is _extremely_ hard for me to ask. We...we are estranged," When he opened his mouth to protest she threw up her hand to stop him. "And that is _my_ fault. You tried….you tried to help and I didn't….I ignored your worries and spit on our relationship and….I'm sorry for that."

"Don't do that." He said, frowning down at her. "It's this war. You have nothing to apologize for."

She gave him an incredulous look but didn't respond to his statement. "This is a big request, Draco. One you may not be able to, or even _want_ to, fulfill, but I'm desperate." She closed her eyes tightly and breathed through her nose. "I'm _so_ desperate."

"What is it?" He hated how eager he sounded but he couldn't help it. He wanted to help this woman. He had _loved_ this woman and wanted to just reach out to her and tell her he would take care of everything. His fingers twitched uncertainly; he had not been within touching distance to her since that last day. "I will do whatever is in my capacity to do."

She regarded him with an expression somewhere between hopeful and heedful. "Wait here."

He did as she asked and watched her walk out of the room. A moment later she was back, but he was surprised to see that she wasn't alone. She held the hand of a small child. He couldn't see them clearly because of the, most likely Weasley made, knitted hood with bear ears concealing their head, but something strange settled in his gut.

"This is my daughter Rhea." She told him quietly.

Eyes widened. "Your...daughter…" A spike of jealousy ran through him at the admittance, but he quickly schooled his features, not wanting to give himself away. Of course, she'd have moved on. It had been _years_.

The witch nodded. "She's the reason why I'm here. I'm sure you know the state of things in the city, and more specifically in the slums. It's worse for those of us in the resistance and I can't just wait around for something bad to happen to her….or me..." She patted the child's shoulder. "So, I swallowed my pride and came to you. You're the _only one_ that can help her."

Confused, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Me? How am I the only one that can help? What is it, exactly, that you want me to do? Smuggle her out of London? I can't say it would be _easy_ but it _is_ possible."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I don't want you to smuggle her out, at least not at this time. There's no one outside of the city that could take her yet and I honestly don't trust she'd be any safer out there than by my side."

He furrowed his brow in confusion."Then I really don't know what we're doing here."

Again she bit her lip. "I was hoping _you_ would take her. You're the only one I could trust to do it. Just take her with you and protect her. Watch over her. Eventually, take her to France, make her your heir, or whatever it is you have to do to keep her safe."

" _What_?" The request was even _stranger_ than he'd first assumed and it left him blinking with his mouth hanging open, all pretense of calm completely gone. "Have you gone _barmy_? I can't...it would be one thing to sneak her out but..to do that? I haven't the foggiest clue what to do with children and don't you think it will seem incredibly suspicious if I just show up with a child? Besides, why in _Salazar's name_ would I even _want_ take your daughter into my home, risk death and everything else to pass her off as mine?"

Hermione sighed in that way of hers that always made him feel like he was being scolded, and pulled off the girl's dark hat, causing a cascade of curly blonde hair to tumble out of it. "Because she _is_ yours."

His world stopped for a moment as he stared down at the little girl. He'd been so focused on Hermione that he hadn't even taken a second glance at the child. She looked to be around four years old which would definitely line up, and when he met her eyes it was like he was staring at his own mother. She had sharp features that were associated with his family too and the only thing that looked like the woman behind her was her curls, and the shape of her mouth, which was now turned downward in a frown.

The little girl, no _Rhea,_ he chastised himself, did not make a noise as she regarded him suspiciously. "She's…" he swallowed, "mine?"

"Yes, Draco, she's yours. And I realize how confused and angry you might be at me for hiding it from you, but we really don't have the luxury of time to have a good row about it right now."

The urgency in her voice reminded him that she needed his cooperation and help. He had no interest in the "why's" before, but now? She needed him to protect her ch-...to protect _their_ child and he _needed_ to know why. "What happened, Hermione?" He asked, taking a tentative step forward. "Why come to me _now_?"

Her frail looking hands gripped the girl's shoulder. "That's….people are being snatched off the street. People _not_ in the resistance. Harry's sources in the city have been concerned. Children have been disappearing too, at a rapid rate. We're scared of what that means."

Draco frowned. As far as he knew nothing like that had been sanctioned, at least not in an official sense. He knew there were plenty of things that happened under shady circumstances but he couldn't keep track of them all. He should look into that.

"Mummy?" The soft, fairy-like voice nearly startled him as it filled the silence. She'd been quiet this whole time. "What's wrong? Who is that?"

He watched in awe as Hermione dropped down in front of her daughter and ran her fingers through her curly hair. "Grown up stuff, baby. You remember mummy telling you that we were leaving Uncle Harry's?" The girl nodded. "And that we were going to meet your daddy?" Blue eyes shot up from her mother's face to stare at him, mouth parted in awe. Hermione nodded. "Yes, Rhea. That's your daddy."

Hearing the words out loud and seeing her face regarding him was jarring. She smiled and he felt something inside him crack. He was a _father._ Honestly, the whole world could have crumbled beneath him in that moment and Draco wouldn't have noticed.


	3. Part III

Merlin, he was uncomfortable. After the truth came out, the little girl spent the next few minutes asking a slew of questions and giving her mother scared yet slightly excited looks. It had gotten a bit off center, though, when Rhea realized that there was a reason her mother brought her here, that they were about to sweep the rug out from under her feet.

There were _tears._

He stood silently as he watched their interaction. He was so out of his element that for once he had no idea what to do. Give him maiming and murder over this any day. He shouldn't be witnessing such an intimate thing. He was a _stranger_ , an outsider. He shouldn't be a part of this depressing family affair, regardless of his parental ties.

"I don't want to go, mummy. I want to stay with you!" The way her tiny voice hitched made him cringe.

"I know, darling. And I want to stay with you. I want to stay forever with you. It's just….mummy can't protect you anymore." She glanced over at him. "But your daddy can."

Her lip quivered, "But I don't _want_ him. I want _you_ and... and James and Uncle Harry."

They were breaking her bloody heart. How was he supposed to do this? She didn't even _know_ him. Hermione wasn't thinking clearly. There was no way she would go with him happily. She would hate him.

He didn't know why that thought hurt so much.

"I know you don't, but it's not forever, Rhea. I promise." She kissed the girl's head and held her close. "We will be together again when this is all over." Rhea just cried harder. "We have to be brave, love. You have to be a brave girl. You have to be brave and be good for your daddy. He doesn't know what to do, so you have to help him. Can you do that for me? It's a very important job."

Tiny hands wiped away stray tears as she sniffled,"Yes, mummy."

Hermione pinched her nose fondly. "That's my smart girl."

Rhea smiled weakly and then hugged her mother tight. The witch rubbed soothing circles into her back and spoke quiet words before picking her up and rocking her gently, lulling her into a troubled sleep. The hour was approaching eleven and it wouldn't surprise him if she'd planned this meeting late for that exact purpose.

Maybe she was more prepared than he thought. It would easier for Draco to whisk her away if she was asleep. It would make for a horrible morning, but the initial parting wouldn't be as traumatizing.

"I love you so much, Rhea." she whispered into her hair. "Mummy loves you so so much. I'm so sorry."

He sighed and watched them a moment longer. A part of him wished the witch wasn't such a stubborn woman. He wished she would have come to him sooner, let him help. He wished she would let him help _now._ He could get them _both_ out. It would be incredibly dangerous for him but there would be no need for this scarring situation. If she would just _let him…._

"Stop looking at me like that that." Hermione said, breaking him from his thoughts and moving forward with a look of her own.

"Like what?"

"Like you don't want to let me go."

And that...well..."I _don't_ want to let you go," he confirmed, throat tightening around the words. "I never did."

"Draco." Her voice was soft and sorrowful as she spoke. "I...you _know_ why I couldn't."

"I know. But it doesn't make it any easier to accept. I _hate_ that you are still in this Circe forsaken city," he spat, and then added a bit more quietly, "I hate that _I'm_ in this Circe forsaken city."

"I know how bad it is for us...but...how bad is it for you, Draco? The last time we spoke, it was...hard but now. Are you alright? Being in the Inner Circle?"

He flinched at the unexpected question. Of course he knew she knew his status, but there is knowing and there is _knowing._ He decided to be honest. There was no point lying to her. Besides, who was she going to tell? Potter? "It's...it's getting harder to compartmentalize."

She hummed in some sort of agreement. "Do you have any allies? Surely you aren't doing this all on your own?"

His thoughts flashed to the three of his closest friends."Yes. There are a few who share my ideals. We are all working toward the same goal. But you and your lot have to be ready. It will all be pointless if you get yourselves captured or killed. I'd rather not go to the gallows for absolutely no reason."

She nodded and motioned for him to take Rhea. "I'll relay the message." He took the sleeping girl in his arms a bit awkwardly. Everything about the bloody situation was awkward. "I know it is kind of..ridiculous to ask this now because it probably changes nothing, but what will you do with your parents?"

He had put off thinking about that. "I'll think of something. Mother will be easier to deal with I think. If I have to leave, I'll leave. No one would question my decision considering my age and position. They will think I don't trust my father. Which…" he trailed off, looking down. "Nevermind. I'll take care of it."

"I know you will and I appreciate it so much."

He recognized the look she was giving him. This was it. She was leaving. This may be the last time he saw her. "Will you be alright, getting back?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"Who really knows? I could be dead tomorrow," she laughed humorlessly

He wanted to protest and tell her not to say such things but she looked so defeated that he held his tongue. She didn't need him making things worse. She ran her thumb along her daughter's cheek. "Goodbye, my darling."

"You're really making me feel like a bad guy here, Hermione." he whispered, heart clenching in his chest. "Even more so than I already do."

She chuckled sadly and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Sorry. It's just...I know this is the right thing to do...Her chances of survival rise substantially if she's with you, even if she is surrounded by danger." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and rubbed her arms with her hands. "It's just _hard_." she choked, "I don't want to leave her. She's my _baby_..but it is the only way."

"I'll make sure no harm comes to her, Hermione. I promise you that." She didn't look like she believed it as she stared at her feet. He made a noise that caught her attention and they locked eyes. " _Granger_ , she's _my_ daughter too. I'll protect her with my life. I _promise_."

She nodded and took a deep breath before saying,"One more thing, Malfoy, if you need to...if you need to obliviate her to keep us safe, to keep _her_ safe, then do it. If her memories of The Resistance and me put her in danger of exposure, don't hesitate."

"You can't be serious? You want me to _erase you_ from her memories?" The horror of the situation was quickly catching back up to him. "You're her _mother_."

"And you're her _father_." She insisted. "And I know that scares the shite out of you, but I know you. I know you'll take care of her and do whatever you can to keep her safe. That is what matters. She will still have _one_ loving parent." She choked on the words but kept talking. "So, if the need arises, then yes. _Obliviate her._ Or use a minor memory charm. Do whatever you have to. Nothing is more important to me than her safety."

They stared silently at each other for a few moments, him getting used to the weight in his arms and Hermione getting used to the empty air beside her, before she turned away from them. "Be careful, Hermione." He said, because what else was there to say?

"You too," she replied, and then she was gone, leaving a broken hearted little girl and an emotionally confused Death Eater in her wake.


	4. Part IV

A/N: TW mentions of child trafficking.

* * *

It was drizzling by the time the apparation point came into Draco's view. He could have bypassed the spell that made it impossible within city limits but he didn't need anyone questioning him at the moment. He needed time to figure things out, so no one could know about her yet.

He shielded the girl from the rain as he walked but she still stirred in his arms. His heart thumped wildly because, despite all his promises to her mother, he still knew fuck all about children. He was an only child so he hadn't had an opportunity to observe them, let alone communicate. What did you even talk about with a four-year-old?

Blue eyes blinked into awareness and his time for thinking had run out. Her pale lips trembled but she didn't cry like he expected, she only gripped his dark gray peacoat with a tiny fist as he adjusted his hold on her.

She buried her face in the crook of his neck and let out a puff of breath against his skin. He slowed his gait and cleared his throat. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

Merlin, he sounded bloody ridiculous. Of course, she wasn't fucking alright! She'd just been taken from her mum!

Instead of answering, she responded with, "You're my daddy."

Just like that. No lead up or follow through. No crying for her mum. Just ... _You're my daddy._

"Yes." He nodded, a bit thrown by the simplicity of the statement. "It would seem so."

"Mummy says you don't know about me."

"No, I'm afraid I didn't."

"That why I never see you before?"

This child was going to be the end of him. "Yes." Was he not capable of full-length sentences anymore?

Do you really live in a big house? With birds in the yard?"

That made him pause. "Yes, I do."

"Mummy tells me stories about you when I ask."

"Hmmmm. Does she?" He felt her nod and a smile spread on his face. Hermione had talked about him, told their daughter _stories_ about him.

He knew when the blocking spell dissipated and hugged the girl tighter to his chest. "Alright, love. We are going to Apparate now." He wondered if she even knew the term or what it meant. "It's a tiny spell to get us from here to someplace else without walking. I doubt your mum took you side along, so this may be a bit scary. But don't worry. I've got you. Nothing bad will happen."

"Ok."

He took a deep breath so she would breathe too, and apparated into the foyer of Malfoy Manor.

Rhea was shaking so he held her to check her over. She still had all her limbs so he counted that as a win. He set her down and let her bag fall to the floor next to her.

"It's ok. You'll feel better in a moment," he told her, kneeling and holding both of her hands as she calmed down.

"I don't like that." She sniffled. "I don't want to do that again."

"Don't worry. We won't do that again." He stood up. "Are you hungry?" he asked as if he didn't already know the answer. It was obvious how malnourished she was. She nodded almost viciously and he mustered up a smile. "Alright then, let's make a stop in the kitchens and get you something to eat."

They were almost to their destination when he heard the sound of footsteps behind them. He looked over his shoulder and inwardly cursed. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to face them. The hand he was holding squeezed slightly and he squeezed back, hoping that it was enough encouragement.

"Draco," his mother called out to him in alarm, all color draining from her face,"what's going on? Who is this?"

He wasn't prepared to encounter either of his parents this late at night so he hadn't really thought out what he was going to say yet. Now she was putting him on the spot so he needed to think quick. "Wimsy!" He called out, and the little house elf popped out of thin air at his side. It startled the little girl but he told her it was alright.

"What is it that you require, Master?"

"Wimsy, This is Rhea, and I need you to escort her to the kitchen and fix her something to eat. Anything she wants."

"You're not going with me?" She asked anxiously.

He bent down and looked into her eyes. "Don't be scared. He has taken care of me since I was your age. You'll be safe, I promise. I will be joining you both shortly."

Reluctantly she nodded. "Alright."

"This way, young mistress." The old elf said and took her hand, leading her down the hall and away from Draco and his mother.

He turned his attention back to her and was surprised to see a poorly veiled look of horror on her normally calm face. "Draco, please tell me this isn't what I think it is."

He frowned."I'm not entirely sure what you _think_ it is, but I highly doubt it."

"You hear things," She said quietly, hands wringing in an odd fashion. "About men in the Inner Circle having certain... _proclivities_."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"There are rumors about children, muggleborn or otherwise, disappearing from the south district and being sold. What's worse are the rumors about _who's_ bought them and whose bed they're sleeping in."

It took a moment for his mind to catch up with what she was saying, and when it did he felt like he was going to be sick. He physically recoiled. "What?!" He snapped, stopping her from continuing and swallowing down the dinner that was about to come up."You think that I... _bought_ her? And for...for.." He couldn't even say it. "Do you honestly think so lowly of me, mother?"

She looked at her son with a little bit of regret in her eyes. "No. At least, I had hoped you weren't. But you never know when it comes to these matters."

He felt a bit betrayed and more than a little disgusted as he folded his arms across his chest. "I may be a right bastard, but I'm not a monster."

"Who is she then?" she demanded, voice still tight with worry. "Why is she here with you?"

He ran a hand down his face and sighed. "I was going to ease you into this, but since you insist on assuming I'm some kind of _pedophile_ I'll just say it-."

"That's not what-"

"-she's my daughter."

Her mouth popped open in shock and whatever she was about to say was forgotten. "What?"

"I didn't _buy_ her." He spat the words like acid, almost hoping that they burned her. "She's _my daughter_."

His mother looked completely baffled and a bit concerned as she stared her son down in the dim light of the corridor. At least she wasn't accusing him of...well...

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Would she be here if I wasn't?" he replied, trying to mask his anger and discomfort with her assumptions. "I'm positive she's a Malfoy, and if you would have taken a moment to _look_ at her instead of thinking the worst of me you'd have seen the resemblance."

Her posture softened. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't…I shouldn't have assumed anything, but you know how precarious things are at the moment. I've hardly seen your face lately, let alone spent any time with you. How am I to know how much you've changed? The Inner Circle does things to people, Draco. When I saw her I just jumped to conclusions."

Taking a moment to look at it from his mother's perspective, he could understand that. That didn't mean it didn't still hurt, though.

"Well, I can assure you, mother, that despite the blood on my hands, I'm still very much the son you raised."

The statement seemed to relax her further as she took a step forward, shortening the distance between them. "You have no idea how much of a relief that is to hear." She smiled and he tried his hardest to give her a small one in return. "So, who is she? Where has she been all this time? How long have you known about her?"

He hesitated, unsure of which question to answer first. "Her name is Rhea," he said, and I just found out about her existence today. Her mother…it's been years since I've seen her. She is in a rather tight spot and asked me to look after her. I saw her face and I couldn't turn her away."

She tapped her chin in thought. "Is her mother a prostitute?"

He paused. It would be a decent lie. "Yes…"

"That's fine. We can work around it. There will be questions, of course, but we can say you had a fling with a French girl, a pureblood from a low family, and that she recently died, giving you custody of her only daughter." She was taking this a lot better than he expected. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Apologies. It's just…I thought you'd be rather cross to learn that I've sired a half-blood child out of wedlock. I was expecting quite a row. Anger, disownment even."

"The circumstances aren't ideal, I agree. Especially now, you sure know how to choose your timing, but you're my son, Draco. I would care for any child you fathered, regardless of the mother's status."

For the first time since Hermione had waltz back into his life, he felt the tension inside of him wane. "I'm glad you feel that way because I'll need help. I don't…I don't know anything about raising a child."

"You'll do fine, darling," she reassured him. "But you will have my support and guidance. I promise you that."

"What of Father? Do you think I'll have a problem with him?"

"Let me worry about your father." She told him, patting the side of his face. "Her mother's status will stay between us. You just focus on that little girl."

All the emotions he'd been trying to stifle came up, his eyes stinging as he forced them back down. He hadn't known how much it would mean to him to have her on his side. "Thank you."

"Now, go. She is probably in a fright. We will talk more about this in the morning. I'd like to officially meet my Granddaughter at a decent hour and in decent _lighting_."

And with that she turned from him, disappearing back the way she came, her night robes fluttering behind her.

After her departure, he made his way to the kitchens where he found a very confused house elf and a pouting four-year-old sitting at the table.

"Wimsy isn't familiar with that dish either, Little Miss." The elf was saying as he entered.

The little girl spun around in her seat, her face lighting up a bit when she saw him. "Daddy," The name still sent a confusing rush through him and he almost stopped in his tracks. "Mr. Wimsy doesn't know how to make _anything_."

"That's not true, Little Miss. Wimsy knows lots of recipes. Even ancient recipes passed down for generations. He just doesn't know what this Bangers and Mash is."

Draco came to a stop in front of the little girl and crouched down so he was more or less at eye level with her. "Rhea, things are a bit different here. The food may not be what you're used to."

"Oh," she looked disappointed for a second but then smiled. "What do you eat then, daddy? I want what you get."

"Let's start with something light tonight. It's already late and you need to sleep." He thought for a moment. She looked like she'd enjoy something sweet like he did. "What about a scone?" he asked her. "Does that sound alright?"

She only nodded so he looked to the elf. "I think a scone will do just fine."

The Elf bowed slightly. "As you wish, Master."

Rhea wrinkled her nose. "Why does Mr. Wimsy do that?"

"Why does he do what?"

"Call you master?" She replied plainly. "He wouldn't call me Rhea. I told him it was my name. I'm Rhea. I'm not "Little Miss"."

 _Shite_.

"You see," He began, thinking of a way to explain, "he is a house elf that works for Daddy's family. He serves the House of Malfoy so he calls all of us by titles. Master or Mistress, in your case a version of that, Little Miss."

"Why?"

 _Why?_ He'd just explained…

 _She's four,_ he reminded himself. And she's lived with a muggle-born mother in poverty until now. He would have to explain _everything_.

Oh, Merlin. He was in for a long night.

He was in for a long _life_.


	5. Part V

**_A/N: Just a reminder that this is more or less a drabble series, so in the future if there are large time skips that is why. This fic is also Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine and feel free to point any out._**

* * *

Harry and Ginny were waiting by the back door when Hermione stumbled in fifteen minutes past midnight. They both looked worried and a bit relieved to see her but she didn't really have it in her to care.

"You're late," Harry said. "We thought-"

"Draco wouldn't have turned me over to them, Harry." She said without feeling. "And it was your idea in the first place."

He frowned at her tone, "I know. I was just worried I made a mistake."

"Me too," she whispered.

"Hermione-" He reached for her but Ginny pulled him back.

"Leave her, Harry."

"But-"

"Now is _not_ the time," she told him, sadness evident in her voice.

Hermione was grateful for her intervention. She loved Harry, she really did, and she'd do anything for him. She'd _already_ done so much for him but she just couldn't look at him right now. It hurt too much. _Everything_ hurt too much. She was surprised she wasn't drowning in a puddle of her own tears.

The thought of a shower entered her mind but it was fleeting. She was too tired for that. Instead, she went straight to the room that she and Rhea had shared and stripped out of her clothes, climbing into the bed with nothing but her knickers and an old worn shirt. She grabbed the faded purple blanket that her daughter had slept with and snuggled up with it, pressing her nose to the fabric in the attempt to memorize the smell there. Tears sprang to her eyes and her heart felt like it was about to rupture from the pressure inside her chest. She wanted Rhea. She wanted to kiss her face and run her fingers through her hair. She wanted to sing her to sleep and argue about which book to read. _She wanted her baby_. Was it too late to take it back? She could send him a secret letter again, beg him to return their daughter to her. She knew he'd do it. He'd do it if she asked him.

 _No_.

She couldn't do that. It wouldn't be fair to Rhea. It was the right thing to do. He had the capability to get her out of London. He had power. He could move freely. She would be well fed and taken care of. She'd be warm and have a stable, unchanging environment. She wouldn't be in the cross fire. What kind of mother would she be if she brought her back to hunger and fear?

No, she couldn't do that to her. She had a chance to live well until the war ended. And if the worst case scenario happened, and The Resistance failed, she wouldn't be in the line of fire. She'd _survive_. And that's what Hermione wanted. It was more important that she stay alive.

So she clutched the blanket in her hands and let herself cry. She couldn't be selfish, not with Rhea's life.

She had to be strong.

She'd told her daughter to be brave, so she needed to brave too.

* * *

"Wimsy," Draco called the elf to his side and gave him the small bag he'd brought with them, "Will you go ahead of us and get the guest room closest to mine ready for Rhea?"

"Of course, Master," he replied, bowing slightly before popping out of existence.

"Where did Mr. Wimsy go?"

"He's getting a bedroom ready for you."

Her eyes widened. "I get a _whole_ room?"

He chuckled at the expression on her face. "Yes, you get your very own room. I'll get you your own toys too."

He lead her through the back hallways of the manor to his wing. When he opened the door to her room she stopped, blue eyes taking in everything from the furniture to the wall sconces. "Wow."

"Do you like it," he asked, hand gently leading her further inside.

"Yes!" she nodded happily. "It's pretty."

"I'm glad."

Wimsy stood by the bedside table, a pair of pink pajamas in his hands. He set them on the bed and asked, "Is there anything else you'll be requiring, sir?"

"No," Draco dismissed, "You can go."

Again the old elf bowed and disappeared.

"I think it's time to get you to bed. It's rather late and growing girls need their sleep."

Rhea jumped on the bed. "Ok."

Draco paused, picking up her night clothes. "Do you- um- need help with these?"

She nodded and started taking off her shoes and socks. He helped her with the rest of her clothes but let out a frustrated sigh when her hair got caught in the top.

"You're not very good at this." She stated matter of factly as he tried unsuccessfully to get her pajamas on her for the third time.

"Cut me some slack, kid. I've never done this before."

A tiny giggle escaped her lips and she helped him with the buttons on her top. "There. All done."

 _Thank Circe_ , he thought to himself before saying, "Alright, time to go to sleep."

She nodded and grabbed the stuffed animal that Wimsy had propped up against the headboard.

"Now I'm ready." She stated, laying down and letting him tuck her in.

Ok. She was dressed for bed and secure in her blankets. She had plenty of pillows and her bear. He'd even conjured a night light but there was something else he felt like he should be doing. But what?

What would Hermione do?

Hug her? Kiss her?

He didn't think he could do either of those yet so he settled for patting her head fondly. "Goodnight, Rhea."

She hugged the bear to her chest. "Night daddy."

He would never get used to that title.

He extinguished the lights and shut the door behind him before heading to his own chambers.

Draco poured a glass of Firewhiskey as soon as he stepped inside and paced in front of his fireplace, mind racing as the events of the day suddenly crashed down on him.

He had a _daughter_. A daughter that was sleeping in the _next room_. A daughter that was half of him and half of _Hermione_. That last day...she'd been pregnant and he hadn't known. If he'd known he wouldn't have let her walk away. He wouldn't have let her go back to Potter and their band of reckless wizards. He would have taken her far away from this bloody war.

Rhea had been born basically in the slums and had been in hiding her whole life. What had she gone through since her birth? What had both of them gone through? Hermione was beaten up and half starved and Rhea wasn't much better, though she looked a bit better fed. Obviously, her mother took care of her first. It didn't hurt any less though. He didn't want to think about either of them in pain.

Merlin, he hated this. He wished things had been different, but wishing was pointless. He couldn't change the past, he could only work towards the future. She was here now and he had promised her mother that he'd take care of her. He wasn't exactly sure how he was going to do that but he'd try. There was already such a drive inside of him to protect her. Just the thought of anyone hurting her made his blood boil. Was this how all parents felt when they thought about their children? Did his father feel the anger and hatred bubble up when Draco was in pain or in trouble? Did he sit up and worry about him?

He downed the rest of his whiskey and set the empty glass on the mantle.

He needed to rest. He couldn't think or plot anything with all these thoughts and feelings consuming him. He needed to calm down and figure it out. He'd have to change his plans a bit now, and he would have to tread carefully. The Dark Lord would question this. Draco was in the Inner Circle now. He was a "trusted" member in the group and had responsibilities within the Ministry. This would cause more than a few brows to raise. He'd just have to speak with his mother. She was better with situations like these. If they could come up with a good enough lie, everything should be fine. Of course, he'd be hard pressed to allow Rhea to step foot outside the Manor anytime soon and he wanted to keep her a secret for as long as possible.

His head was pounding from the stress so he took a pain relief potion before changing out of his clothes. He didn't know if could calm down enough to sleep, but he sure as hell was going to try.

And he'd _almost_ succeeded.

Almost.

He'd just settled down under the heavy blanket and was slowly drifting off to sleep when he heard the creaking of the door handle being turned. He sat up, alarmed at first, but settled down when he saw who it was standing in the doorway. "Rhea? What's wrong?"

"I can't sleep." She told him, "It's too big."

"What's too big?"

"The bed." She replied, climbing up on the end of his. "I always sleep with mummy."

Oh no. _No_. He _never_ shared his bed with anyone. Not even his one night stands he used to take the edge off. He wasn't comfortable sharing close space with people for an extended period of time. It was stifling and he would never sleep. So no, his bed was his and that was that.

He was about to tell her just that and take her back to her own bed, but the look on her face zapped away all his resolve.

 _Dammit._ She was _four_ and she didn't have her mum. This was the first time she'd been away from her family. She was surrounded by unfamiliarity and was probably a lot more afraid than she looked. He was the only thing in this house she knew. And that wasn't saying much because he was still basically a stranger.

 _Blast_.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply, pulling the edge of the covers on the other side of the bed down.

He didn't miss the smile that spread on her face as she crawled under them and laid down, bringing the blanket up under her chin and closing her eyes. "Night night." she yawned.

"Goodnight," he replied softly, watching her as she quickly fell asleep.

He slowly moved to lay back down, hands behind his head and eyes staring up at the ceiling. He was going to need a Pepper Up potion in the morning because there was no way he was getting any sleep now.

His eyes flicked to the sleeping girl beside him.

He supposed it was worth it.

At some point during the night, she'd migrated over to his side of the bed. By the time the sun was rising, casting light through the window, he was holding her close and just listening to the sound of her breathing.


	6. Part VI

_**A/N: As always this is unbeta'd. Sorry for any SpaG errors that may happen. Also, I know there are a lot of fluffy moments, and there will continue to be, but just be prepared for angst because this is a War Au. :)**_

* * *

 **Thursday**

 **March 18, 2004**

It was entirely too soon that his mother's house elf, Tilly, was requesting his presence. He sent her away and began the task of waking up his daughter, who was still fast asleep in the crook of his arm. "Rhea," he gently jostled her, "It's time to wake up."

The tiny girl yawned and stretched her arms above her head, hitting him in the face with one of her hands. "Sorry." she giggled, and he couldn't find it in himself to be upset. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Morning."

He smiled and fluffed her messy hair. "Good Morning." He was surprised she hadn't woken up crying for her mum. Perhaps she was still in shock? Or maybe she still viewed this as a temporary thing?

Either way, he was grateful that he hadn't needed to deal with tears first thing in the morning.

"I'll be right back." He said, getting up. "I'm going to get your things."

She just smiled tiredly. "Ok."

Draco returned with her bag and set it down next to her. "You need to get dressed. So pick out something to wear. We have to go."

She opened the bag and started ruffling through it. "Where are we going?"

"Do you remember the lady that we saw last night?" She nodded. "She is your grandmother and she's asked me to introduce her to you this morning. We are to have breakfast with her."

"Grandmother?"

"Yes, my mother. Did you ever meet your other grandparents?"

"I have a gran and a pop but I haven't seen them in a long time."

There was probably a rather depressing reason behind that. "Well, she is kind of like them."

"Oh." She hummed thoughtfully to herself and pulled out a teal blue sweater with white stripes and began the process of getting dressed.

Draco sighed and went about shedding his own night clothes in his large walk in closet. He quickly put on his normal brand of trousers and grabbed a dark gray button up. He headed back out towards her as he pulled an arm through the sleeve.

"What's that on your tummy?"

Startled by her voice, Draco stopped and looked down at her, then at the silvery scars along his stomach. He traced over them with his fingers. "They're scars I got a long time ago," he told her honestly.

"Uncle Harry has a scar. It still hurts him. Does yours hurt too?"

 _It does when I think of your infuriating uncle,_ he wanted to say. "No, it doesn't hurt anymore," he said, quickly buttoning up his shirt. "But listen, Rhea. I know you love your uncle, but it's best that you don't talk about him anymore."

"Why?"

He had to tread carefully. He didn't want her to slip and say anything but he also didn't want to scare her. And the last thing he wanted to bloody do was obliviate her. He'd avoid that at all cost.

"Daddy doesn't have very nice friends and they don't like your Uncle Harry. If they knew you liked him they would very mean to you."

"If they are mean then why are they your friends?"

He sighed in defeat. "Well, they're not _exactly_ my friends….more like... co-workers...people I work with."

"Like Uncle Ron and Harry?"

Salazar, grant him patience. "No, it's a little different than that, so when we are in the presence of other," he paused, rephrasing "When there are people besides _me and you_ there, you mustn't talk about your Uncle or Aunts, even in the Mano- er- the house."

"How come?"

"Because it's very important to keep them a secret. They have to be a secret here."

"Why?"

 _Oh no. More questions._ Did they ever end? "Because as I said earlier, people would not be happy about it. They'd be very nasty to you."

"Ok."

 _That's it? Just ok?_ "So they're a secret." he reiterated.

"I won't talk about them. Only with you."

"Good girl," he smiled and finished dressing and helping her put on her shoes. Looking at her jeans and sweater, she reminded him so much of her mother, especially the curly mop of hair. He figured he should probably do something about that before going downstairs. His mother was already sure to have a conniption with what she was wearing, so he quickly magicked her hair into a messy bun. It wasn't perfect but it would do. "Let's get some breakfast."

Narcissa Malfoy was already seated at the dining table when he shuttled Rhea into the room, though his father was notably absent. She didn't look at her son when he entered, her eyes were firmly set on the little girl he was helping into the chair nearest to her.

"Oh, Draco." He raised a brow at her soft tone and teary eyes. "She looks just like you. She's beautiful."

"Yes, well I did try to tell you last night. Though, I suppose the lighting _is_ better here."

She frowned at his snippy response but let it go, turning her complete attention to the girl looking around the room in wonderment. He realized that she probably hadn't seen anything as big or fancy as the manor before.

"Rhea," he said, sitting down beside her, "this is my mother, Narcissa, but you can call her-"

"Grand-mère." His mother smiled brightly and reached out her hand, "It's very nice to meet you, Rhea."

She nodded and gently shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"How old are you?" she asked.

She held up four fingers. "I'm four. My next birthday I'll be five."

"And when is that, dear? Do you know?"

"June twenty-three."

That was pretty damn close to his own birthday.

"Oh, that's coming up soon. A couple of months."

"Mummy says I'll be a big girl."

"Indeed you will," the older witch agreed and began making the girl a plate herself, instead of relying on Tilly. "Do you prefer jam or butter?"

"Jam, please!"

Draco watched his mother smother a croissant with blackberry jam. It had been awhile since he'd seen her so attentive.

"Are you going to eat, daddy?"

He moved to grab his own pastry. "Of course."

"There you are," Narcissa motioned for Rhea to take a bite.

Her eyes widened as she chewed. "This is the best ever!" She exclaimed after swallowing. "Almost better than daddy's scones."

His mother just smiled and sipped her tea, watching the little girl eat her croissant and jam. For being so young and living with Potter of all people, she actually had decent table manners and always said please and thank you. He shouldn't be _that_ surprised though. Granger wasn't rude, despite being raised by muggles. Obviously, even _they'd_ had decent social protocol it seemed.

After they'd finished eating he decided that he needed to speak with his mother but was hesitant to do so in front of Rhea. He was equally as hesitant to let her out of his sight though. "Would you like to go outside?" he asked her, knowing he could keep an eye on her from the terrace.

"Yes, please!" She screeched excitedly.

He put on her coat from the night before and then led her out to the back patio overlooking the first garden. She bounded down the stairs and ran right up to a lilac bush, fingers lightly touching the tiny petals. "Flowers are pretty."

"They are," he agreed, coming to a stop behind her.

"Mummy gots me white flowers for my birthday. We made flower crowns with Aunt-" she paused and looked up at him and his mother, eyes widening as she remembered her promise, and started the sentence over. "We made flower crowns. Mummy looked really pretty. More pretty than the flowers."

A vision of Hermione with long bouncy locks and a ring of calla lilies atop her head entered his mind and he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. "I'm sure she was."

"You think Mummy is pretty too?"

"Of course," he insisted, "She's the prettiest witch I know."

His mother made an unflattering noise behind him but he ignored it.

"Next time we sees her, you have to tell her that."

The thought of seeing her again made his stomach flutter. Merlin, he'd love to see her again, but the world and fate itself were cruel. "I promise. The next time I see your mum, I'll tell her how pretty she is."

"Good. She would like that."

"I need to talk to your grand-mère now, so why don't you go play in the gardens? Tilly will go with you."

"I can _play_ outside?" He nodded and a happy grin took up half of her face. "I never get to go outside long. It feels nice. And it's bright and lots of colors are here."

Now his mother made a noise of distress at the notion that her granddaughter had most likely spent all of her time inside, what she would assume to be, a brothel.

His heart clenched with the truth. Even the bastards that lived in whorehouses probably had more freedom than what his daughter had had.

"Yes. You can play outside. Just stay where I can see you."

She didn't answer, instead, she took off running, stray hair falling out of her bun behind her. Of all the things to inherit from her mother. No, he was rather fond of her hair, to be honest. Perfection was overrated.

"Little Miss!" Tilly called, chasing after her. "Wait for Tilly!"

He turned back towards the house and walked up the steps, following his mother until she stopped. Wistfully she looked out over the terrace and watched the girl frolic through the flowers, the elf only two steps behind her. "She's wonderful, darling."

"I'm glad you approve-" he began.

"But what in Merlin's name is she _wearing_?" she asked with distaste.

Leave it to his mother to be concerned about _that,_ not that he hadn't already known. He was surprised it had taken her this long to comment. "Let us not forget where it is she came from."

"Just because I know, doesn't mean I'm still not startled by the lack of attire befitting a girl."

"I give you free reign to dress her however you want, mother."

"There was no question to that, dear." She chuckled quietly. "Sometimes I feel the need to still dress you."

"And what's wrong with the way I dress?"

"Absolutely nothing. It's just rather...drab, isn't it?"

"I don't suppose you've noticed but we are in still in a war. It's not like we are hosting galas and going to Opera's."

"True," she replied, "Though your complexion may look a bit better if you'd wear something other than black."

He rolled his eyes. "I'll make sure to add some green and blue to my wardrobe if it so pleases you."

"It does." She smiled, and he could tell how relaxed she'd become talking about something so simple as clothing. It had probably been a long time since she'd spoken so freely with anyone. It made him feel a bit guilty. Especially because he was about to make things uncomfortable again.

"I couldn't help but notice father was nowhere to be seen." He watched her mouth tighten.

"I wanted to meet her first before I spoke with him. I'm sure you understand how delicate this situation is."

"I do. That is why I will let you handle him. It might come down to a duel if you left it up to me."

"Why must you fight with your father, Draco?" She asked rather curtly.

"I don't know," he lied, "He irritates me on the best of days and is downright loathsome on the worst."

"If this is about the Inner-"

"It's not," he insisted, "At least not on my part. He may be cross that I've outranked him, but I don't let that get to my head. I've never goaded him over the fact."

She sighed, no doubt upset that her husband and only son seemed to always be at odds and there was nothing she could do about it. "In any case, we must approach him cautiously with this news."

He agreed and was quiet for a moment as he watched Rhea hiding from Tilly. The morning sun shone brightly on her blonde hair, making it almost glow as she jumped out from behind a rose bush. The elf actually smiled and chased the girl around the stone bench closest to them. The sound of Rhea's angelic giggles drifted over to him and he lost his senses for a moment. Everything took on a dream like hue as he stood there, transfixed on the happy scene. Looking at her now, he could almost forget that they were in the middle of a war. He could almost forget that he was planning the fall of his lord. He could almost forget the sad cry she let out when she realized she was leaving the only life she'd ever known. He could almost forget the tear tracks that had lined Hermione's face as she walked away from them. He could almost forget that he'd only known this new love in his chest for 12 hours. He wished he could forget. Maybe then it would be easier to believe in the fairy tale that they'd be a family one day.

"Darling, what's wrong?"

His mother broke him out of his thoughts. Obviously, he'd been quiet too long. "Can I speak freely?" She motioned for him to continue. "I'm worried," he admitted. "I told her mother that she'd be safe with me, and part of me believes that. But are any of us truly safe?"

"Draco-"

"I have to protect her," his hand rubbed at the mark on his arm, hidden by his shirt, "I have to protect her from them, from all of this."

"It isn't as daunting of a task as you'd imagine." She replied, patting his arm. "You've lucked out with her countenance. She is the spitting image of you so no one can question her paternity. The only thing we must keep information control over is the maternity. I can fake a birth certificate and I owled your cousin Irene this morning to see what we can do about naming a mother."

He was left speechless. He knew his mother was clever and resourceful, but he hadn't imagined she'd be so quick about this, or that she'd want to help. It still shocked him that she wasn't angry with him. She even looked rather fond of Rhea, which was understandable because she was bloody adorable, but she was a half-blood. It was unthinkable that she'd be so accepting. Perhaps she was more like him, and less inclined to dismiss all those outside their pure-blood circle. "That was fast."

"We have to get ahead of this, darling. You never know who will be sticking their nose in your business. You're an important player in our Lord's game. You don't need me to tell you how dangerous that makes your life."

"No, you certainly don't."

"Your father is our first hurdle, after that, you will need to focus on his group of friends, and _yours_. Eventually, you will _have_ to introduce her to the Inner Circle."

Fear shot up his spine at the thought, but he knew it was inevitable. "I'm aware."

"You just continue doing what you've always done. You keep your back straight and have confidence in your abilities. The only one with any authority to do anything would be the Dark Lord. As long as we don't make a great fuss about it, he should have no reason to question it further after we present him with proof."

Circe, he hoped she was right. He didn't want his daughter anywhere near the evil wizard.

"I guess we'll just have to take it a step at a time."

"It will be fine, Draco."

"I hope you're right, mother." He clenched his jaw and swallowed down the dread that was quickly consuming him. "I hope you're right."


	7. Part VII

_**A/N: I went back and added timestamps to previous chapters. I like using them so you have an idea about when everything is happening instead of guessing. As always, chapter is unbeta'd. (and sorry for the late update. My little cousin had major surgery so I've been a bit out of it the last few days)**_

* * *

 **Friday**

 **March 19, 2004**

" _Malfoy. We shouldn't be doing this."_

" _Come now, Granger," He laughed, moving her hair out of his way so he could have better access to her skin. "Where's your sense of adventure?"_

 _She shivered as he pressed an open mouthed kiss against the hollow of her neck. "I must have left it with Harry, in the_ other room."

 _She hissed in surprised when he nipped at her. "Hmm, should you really be speaking another man's name while you're snogging me?"_

" _Well, maybe I don't_ want _to be snogging you." She huffed, "Did you ever think of that?"_

 _He lifted his head and smirked down at her as his hand slid down her body to rest between her legs. "Would you like me to stop?"_

 _His fingers brushed lightly against her and all resolve she had disappeared. "You are such a Slytherin."_

" _I'll take that as a compliment," he chuckled, sliding a finger inside her._

" _You can take it any way you like as long as you don't stop," she groaned and looked up into his piercing gray eyes._

" _Don't worry, Granger. I have no plans of stopping," he replied and captured her lips in a hungry kiss._

Hermione awoke with a pain in her chest and an urgency between her thighs. She sat up, thin fingers moving to her lips as she recalled the dream. It had been the first one she'd had of him in awhile. She grabbed the pillow and shoved her face into it, letting out a half frustrated half sorrowful scream.

 _Damnit. Damnit. Damnit!_

Why was this happening? Why now? She'd been fine. She'd been just fine without him. The hole he'd left in her heart and in her life, had already been scabbed over. Why was it now that she couldn't stop thinking about him? Sure, she'd felt a sense of yearning when she'd met with him, but that was to be expected. She hadn't been within touching distance to him in _five years._ To suddenly be inches from his older and ridiculously handsome face, no one would blame her for taking a moment to enjoy it. But that's all it was. A brief moment. She should have gone back to feeling detached as she had before, but she hadn't.

And a part of her felt incredibly guilty for that. She _shouldn't_ be this upset about losing him, not when she'd lost something even more precious. She shouldn't be thinking of him at all. She should only be thinking of their daughter and how she was doing and if she was ok. She was supposed to be missing her, _longing_ for _her_. Not for _Malfoy_. Why was she crying for him?

She came to a startling realization, then. The pain of his absence had only lessened when Rhea came along. Sometimes she'd look at Rhea and see nothing but him smiling back at her. It was enough. It was enough to see him in her features. She could handle the loss, but now...now she didn't even have Rhea. She didn't have her daughter and she didn't have Draco. The memory of his face and his eyes silently begging her to stay before she left them both was haunting her. She was alone now, and she'd done it on purpose. This was the second night in a row that she'd slept in and woken up to an _empty_ bed. A huge piece of her was missing.

A succession of knocks halted her quickly disintegrating thoughts.

"Hermione?" The familiar voice made her jerk her head towards the door. "Can I come in?"

Well, this was _new_. They'd sent Ron to talk to her.

They must be desperate.

Not that she didn't talk to him often, but he wasn't usually the one people went to for emotional support. That was usually _her_ or Harry's forte.

"You can come in." She called, after clearing her throat.

He gently twisted the knob and pushed the door open, stepping inside quickly. He came to a stop in front of her bed, watching her clutch the pillow in her hands. "Are you alright? Gin says you haven't really talked to anyone."

"I suppose it escaped their notice that I haven't been in the best of moods since sending my _daughter_ into a snake pit."

He grimaced. "Harry said you were rather cross with hi-."

"Harry talks too much," she snapped, eyes narrowing at her long time friend.

"Hermione. We aren't your enemies, you know? We're your family."

She closed her eyes and shoved down all the nasty comments that were on the tip of her tongue. None of this was Ron's fault. And it wasn't really Harry's fault either, she knew that, but it hurt too much to think anything else. Logic was lost to her at the moment.

"I know, Ron. I just...I do see you all as family but none of you are _Rhea_. None of you can possibly understand what I'm going through."

"Harry and Ginny might eventually. They're still trying to get Jamie to Charlie."

Frustrated, she sighed, "It's not the same. Charlie is safely outside of Vold- you-know-who's reach. For all I know, Rhea could be in the same bloody room as him right now."

The redhead frowned. "You think the Ferret would let that happen?"

She rolled her eyes at the old nickname but answered, "He may not have a choice. He can't blow his cover. Harry and I knew the risks involved in this plan when we made it. We decided it was still the best option for her. He'd have the means to get her out if shite went south."

"I still can't believe you let her go with him."

"Ron, if you came in here to make me feel better, you're doing a rather shite job of it."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I'm not trying to make you feel worse. I'm just surprised is all. I mean the bloke didn't even know about her. How did he even take it? I can just see his smarmy face all slack jawed."

Even after all these years, Ron still held onto a tiny bit of old school rivalry when it came to Draco. She was sure if they were in the same room they'd be arguing like children over nothing.

"He accepted the news better than I thought he would." She told him, finding it easier to speak about it than she thought. "Didn't even challenge the validity of my claim." He stared at her for a moment and she shifted a bit on the bed. "What?"

"Did you think he would deny it?"

"Well...not exactly. But even he should have questioned it at least a little."

"The bastard was in love with you, Hermione. Even if Rhea didn't resemble him, I doubt he'd have argued about it. I bet he even went home and _swooned_ about it."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, and I highly doubt Draco Malfoy swoons over _anything_."

Now it was _his_ turn to roll his eyes. "Please, he always looked at you like there were stars flying out of your arse. If he has even half the feelings for her that he has for you, he's swooning, believe me."

The visual of Draco falling over his words and looking completely flabbergasted as he tried to handle Rhea warmed her heart. He was probably awkward and entirely uncomfortable, but he was probably doing the best he could, and that was why she'd let him take her.

"Thanks, Ron. I needed to hear that." She finally told him. "I've just been...I'm trying to figure out how to live in this house, in this life, without her by my side. It's _hard_ and it bloody _hurts_." Tears welled up in her eyes and Ron dropped to his knees in front of her, wrapping his arms around her suddenly shaking frame. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I've been so distant. I'm just so angry and hurt and I can't make sense of any of it because I know what I did was the right thing but my heart isn't so sure," she cried into his shoulder."I don't know what to do."

"It's ok, Hermione," he whispered, smoothing down her hair. "No one is angry with you and we don't expect you to go back to normal. Her absence is hard on all of us, so we know it's going to be hitting you a thousand times harder. Take your time, alright? Cry and scream and do whatever it is you need to do. We'll be here when you are ready to talk."

She cried for a moment longer and then pushed away from him, wiping her eyes with her blanket. "You better go. Lavender might get the wrong idea if you stay in her to comfort me much longer."

He just laughed and stood up, dusting off the knees of his trousers. "I think she's finally gotten over her insecurities on that front."

"I'd hope so. Rhea should be proof enough that _our_ little "love" affair was incredibly brief."

"You'd think, wouldn't you?" he smiled and turned to leave, stopping at the door for a second. "I do hope you're feeling a bit better."

"I am," she admitted, "Will you let Harry and Ginny know I'm ok and that I'll talk to them later?"

"Will do!" He replied, and shut the door behind him.

* * *

It was late in the evening on the second day after Rhea's arrival in the manor that he finally saw his father.

He was striding toward him with purpose as he called out to him, "Son, might I have a word?"

Had his mother finally spoken with him then? Good. He was growing tired of waiting.

He followed the older wizard to his study and watched as he poured them both a drink from the decanter on his desk.

"Did you need a little liquid courage?" Draco asked, knowing that he was just going to irritate him.

Lucius frowned and took a drink. "Your mother has told me some…" he paused, " _disheartening_ information, Draco."

"Well, let's not beat around the bush about it, father," he replied, taking his own drink and attempting to keep his irritation in check, "I have a child."

Lucius's face twisted into an angry scowl. "Yes, _that_. What were you thinking, bedding a witch and not using the proper precautions?"

"It was in the heat of the moment and I never expected to see her again."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? That you knowingly went out and slept with someone you had no intentions of seeing again?"

"Are you really going to pretend you never had a one off before marrying mother?" He asked, "Or that the rest of those in our Circle don't shag their way through the week?"

"That's not the sam-"

"I realize it isn't the same because none of them is _your_ son. But it changes nothing. I still have a daughter, whether you approve of it or not."

"Are we sure she is even really yours? Witches _lie_. The Malfoy name is well known, especially in France, and most know of your status. This could be a trap."

Draco rolled his eyes. "A trap, yes. I can see how a _dead_ witch could lay this wonderfully conniving trap."

"Do you have any proof that she's really deceased?"

"Yes, mother double checked. And there is no doubt that she is mine."

"I don't understand why the two of you are so willing to blindly accept-"

"Lucius." Draco turned to see his mother standing in the doorway, Rhea's shadowed form standing behind her just out of view. "Could you perhaps stop your soon-to-be tirade and take a moment to take a look for yourself?"

His father huffed in annoyance but refrained from saying anything else.

She took a deep breath and looked behind her into the hall. "Come now, darling, it's time to meet your grandfather. Don't mind his face, he didn't sleep well last night and is rather grumpy." Draco almost laughed at the look that passed across his father's face.

Rhea obviously read the atmosphere in the room well, because unlike her first encounter with himself and his mother, she was hesitant and stiff as she gripped her hand and followed her to where her grandfather was standing.

Lucius's face changed then, slipping from its original disdain to one of bewilderment. He looked between the little girl and Draco a couple of times before speaking. "Well," he said, voice still a bit tight, "it's nice to see that the Malfoy genes are still dominant."

"Do you believe us now?"

"I'm...willing to accept that if this child were a boy, I'd have wondered if I hadn't somehow ended up in the past." Narcissa didn't hide her smile as she watched them.

"So you can see why we haven't torn apart the country to disprove her parentage?"

Reluctantly he nodded.

Narcissa clapped her hands together, startling the rest of them. "Good, now that we've gotten that settled, why don't you say hello to your granddaughter, Dear?"

He cleared his throat and looked down at her. "I'm Lucius Malfoy, but I suppose it would be inappropriate to call me that. I'm-"

Emboldened by the subtle shift in the atmosphere, Rhea smiled and cut him off, "Grand-père."

Slowly he agreed. "That should suffice."

"Grand-père, why were you yelling at daddy?"

Draco ran his hand down his face in embarrassment. Did she have to be so bloody observant?

"Um...you see. Your father and I had a... disagreement. We were cross with each other."

"Well, you and daddy shouldn't get mad at each other and yell. You'll get hurt feelings."

He looked taken aback by her statement and was left speechless.

"I'm sorry, darling. We'll just have to try to fight less." Draco told her and then looked pointedly at Lucius. "Won't we, Father?"

"I...suppose."

"Alright, Rhea, it's time to get ready for bed." His mother said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Tell your daddy and grandfather goodnight."

She gave his father a polite goodbye but then stood in front of him, hands on her tiny hips. His brow raised. "Yes?"

"Aren't you going to tuck me in?"

"I'll be up in a bit, I promise."

"You better," she huffed, and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. "Good night, daddy."

He gently hugged her back. "Good night."

He caught the brief look of wonderment on Lucius's face before he let her go. Both wizards remained silent as they watched her follow after her grandmother.

"So…" The elder Malfoy started, "You have a _child_."

Draco stopped himself from chuckling as he nodded, "Yes, father. It seems I do."

"Bloody hell."

* * *

' ** _A/N: Hopefully this chapter didn't disappoint. It's been a weird week lol_**


	8. Part VIII

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay for this chapter. August has been busy with fest deadlines and judging contest duties. Hopefully you'll like this chapter enough to forgive me. :)**_

 _ **Not beta'd all Sp &G errors are my own, so feel free to point them out. **_

* * *

**Monday**

 **March 20, 2004**

Draco stared at his mother as she brought in yet another package wrapped in pink and purple paper. "Mother, don't you think you're going a bit….overboard?"

She looked completely appalled by the question. "Draco, I've missed out on four years of gifts. Just let me have this one thing."

Yes, sure, of course. This _one_ thing.

For the last three days, Rhea had been showered with everything from frilly dresses to pretty dolls. There may have been a story book in there somewhere too, but he'd lost count of everything after the first day she'd come back from the shops.

"I'm not trying to impede on your grandmotherly duties, but you may be overwhelming her."

She paused her stride. "Has she said something?"

"No, of course not." He told her. "She's rather polite for a four-year-old, but I can tell she doesn't know what to do. She's never had such expensive and over frivolous things given to her."

"I just want to make up for lost time."

"I understand your intentions, but if you could maybe refrain from buying anything else, for the time being, that would be helpful."

She sighed as if he was asking her to refrain from drinking tea. "If that's your wish then I'll try to do as you ask-"

"Thank you."

"-but I'm still giving her this," she said and strolled right past him and into what used to be her personal sitting room but what now served as Rhea's play room. He followed her in and watched as his daughter, who had been lying on the floor drawing when he'd left her, sit up and smile at her grandmère. "Darling, I have something for you."

"Another present?"

"Yes. I know it may seem excessive...but grandmère just wants you to have nice things." She crouched down to help her open the box and Draco could see the look of pure enjoyment when she saw Rhea's smile widen.

"Oh, she looks like me!" She replied in awe, carefully taking the doll out of its package."

"I know. I saw her and I just knew I'd have to get her. Every little girl should have such a doll."

Rhea turned and threw her arms around his mother. "Thank you!"

After balancing the little girl on her lap, she twisted her head to look back at him, a smirk of _I told you_ so planted on her face. "You're very welcome."

His little girl hugged her doll close and sat back down where'd she'd been moments before.

Standing, his mother turned her attention back to him. "Do you know where your father has gone?"

"He shut himself up in his study an hour ago." The coward. He just didn't know what to do with his feelings regarding his granddaughter. Merlin forbig he actually care for her.

"Grandpère gets a headache when I ask too many questions," Rhea piped up from her spot on the floor.

"Oh, does he now?" She asked, clearly amused.

"That's what he told daddy. I tried to be quiet but daddy told me it was ok. Grandpère is just getting old. Does that mean you're getting old too?"

"No, child." she laughed, "I'm not that old yet and we witches live long lives, so given the context, I'd say I was still quite young indeed."

"Rhea, it's not really polite to comment on people's ages," Draco told her.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

She just waved it off and sat down in the nearest chair, content to watch Rhea playing with her gift.

Draco felt a slight pull in the wards and he turned in alarm. "Are we expecting company, mother?" he asked her as the floo roared to life in the front room. He was usually aware of any and all visitors to the Manor and he didn't like being caught off guard, especially when his daughter was sitting just a foot away playing make believe with her doll.

"No, I don't know who it could be."

He motioned for her to remain where she was and headed into the hall, intent on greeting whoever was coming through.

"You don't have to be so suspicious, son. I owled Severus this morning." His father called, waltzing past him as the wizard in questioned stepped through the fireplace. "If I am to be subjected to the unfamiliar territory that is four-year-old little girls and your mother's coddling, I'm not doing it alone."

Having heard the exchange, Severus deadpanned. "I was told this was an urgent matter, Lucius."

"It is," his father insisted, "there are many matters that need to be discussed. One of which is my son's lack of forethought."

Severus regarded him suspiciously but Draco just shrugged. There was really nothing to say. He'd learn the truth soon enough.

"Well, then... by all means, tell me."

"It would be better if we _showed_ you," Lucius replied, tilting his head toward the doorway.

Silently he followed them back to the sitting room where Draco had left her, but when he spotted the child he halted, a small noise that could be easily dismissed leaving his mouth.

Lucius, unaware of his friend's sudden stiffness, sighed,"It was brought to our attention quite recently that there is a new addition to the Malfoy family. This is Rhea."

If Severus's face had held any tint of color it would have easily drained away. Draco briefly wondered if his godfather had actually seen her before. The way he was staring at her certainly indicated that he had.

"Isn't it wonderful, Severus?" His mother asked in too cheery of a voice. She seemed to be putting on a show. "I never thought I'd be a grandmother so soon, but she's honestly a delight."

The older wizard nodded slightly, still looking a bit shaken at the sight of Rhea playing at her feet.

"Rhea," his mother addressed her, "this is Severus Snape, he is a friend of ours."

She politely looked up from her toys and smiled, though it seemed a bit off to him. Over the last few days, he'd become quite acclimated with her facial expressions, tics, and nuances. "Hello, Mr. Severus."

"See, isn't she darling?" Narcissa crooned. "While I'm saddened by her loss I'm happy that her mother seemed to instill manners in her."

The dark haired man snapped his head up at her words. "Her...mother?"

"Yes. Eileen Dubois. It was dreadful really," She began reciting the cover story she had come up with. "To be taken by a fever. So young and so much life ahead of her. It was truly tragic. I'm just grateful her living relative knew to contact Draco after her passing. Who knows what would have happened to the poor girl. The Dubois, while still a pureblood line, have nearly died out, you know."

He didn't look like he believed her but replied slowly, "Then she is certainly lucky to have been reunited with her father."

"As you can see, it has changed the family dynamic somewhat," Lucius said with a roll of his eyes.

Instead of replying he turned his attention to Draco. "Draco, I'd like a word if you have a moment?"

The look on his godfather's face confirmed that his earlier fears just might be true. He followed him down the hall and into the library where he promptly leveled Draco with perhaps the sternest look he could muster.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" he asked, just a hint of emotion bleeding through his stoicism, "If your father finds out that one of the golden trio's _brats_ is living under his roof-"

"Excuse me?" a surprising anger rose up from his stomach. "Did you just call my child a brat?"

"Draco. Now is not the time to go against me. _That_ ," he said, pointing at the door _, "_ is Hermione Granger's daughter. What on earth are you thinking?"

"Oh, I don't know, that I'm her best option at the moment."

"If the Dark Lord finds out-"

"I'm handling it." He said, cutting him off.

"Draco, he will _kill_ you or _worse._ She's four. Do you think she'll be prepared to keep silent if-"

Frustrated, he snapped, "I said _I'm handling it!"_

"Clearly."

"Look, I don't know what you want me to say. That this was a bad idea? Fine. Maybe it was. But I'm not going to take her back? Didn't you see my mother? She's absolutely besotted. Not to mention the fact that she has no idea who Rhea's mother is."

"Oh, yes. Eileen _Dubois_? That's what you're going with?"

"That was actually mother's idea," he grumbled. "She thinks I slept with a prostitute."

"You're going to put all of us in our graves."

"What was I supposed to do?" he asked, "leave her? Let her starve or get snatched off the street? I'm afraid that even my Death Eater facade wouldn't allow that." Severus breathed deeply through his nose. "She's _my_ daughter."

"Yes, I'm _well_ aware. You don't have to repeat yourself. I've known about her far longer than you, I'm sure."

A stab of betrayal went through his chest. "You...you didn't just know about her, did you? You _knew_ she was mine."

"Of course I knew. I'm an _informant_ , remember? The moment I laid my eyes on the girl years ago I knew she was a Malfoy. And since I highly doubted Granger took a tumble with your father I assumed you were the one responsible."

"Why didn't you say something," he hissed, anger quickly taking over, "All this time…"

"Because it is dangerous information, Draco. I knew that you'd go in half cocked and get yourself killed, or worse, get _her_ killed."

He paused, letting that sink in. "I...don't think you give me enough credit, but I can see why you'd think that."

"Yes, so forgive me for being concerned for both of your well beings."

"I know you have my best interests in mind, but I'm still getting used to being a father. I'm rather defensive at the moment."

"Understandable. It must have been quite the shock."

"Flipped my world arse up, more like," he sighed.

His godfather looked like he was done with the conversation so he cleared his throat before he would hastily retreat out into the hall.

"Severus, while you're here, there _is_ something that you can do for me."

He raised a brow in what Draco took as encouragement.

"Would you request an audience with the Dark Lord?"

"Draco," he warned. "Have you not learned patience?"

"He is going to find out eventually. I'd rather he find out from me than one of his minions. He may be suspicious of her and if he thinks I'm hiding something from him, he'll question everything I do. I can't risk it. I need to move freely and I need him to believe her mother is dead."

"But are you prepared to do anything to keep up this charade? You will need to do something about her mind, Draco. You can't keep him out without him knowing it."

The uncomfortable truth had his heart thrumming. He'd thought about this very thing every night since she'd come to him. He had very few options, but he'd need to decide soon. "I know. I will do whatever I have to to keep her safe. I made a promise…"

Silence reigned a moment before the dark haired wizard spoke. "Fine. I'll put in the request when I return tonight."

An almost spontaneous feeling of relief and anxiety overtook him. "Thank you."

"Now...we've been gone long enough for me to give you a thorough lecture. I'm sure your father is having a bit of a rough time. He seems like he's trying hard to dislike the girl."

"He'll have a hell of a time with it. She's hard to dislike."

He nodded. "So it seems….though it may prove to be an asset in the future."

"How so?"

"Wouldn't it be for the best if the other purebloods adored her as well? Who would question the legitimacy of such a polite and wonderful child?"

He rolled his eyes and huffed, "I'll make sure to have her work on her curtsy."

An almost smile quirked on Severus's lips. "See that you do."


	9. Part IX

_This chapter wasunbeta'd and it is currently midnight, so all mistakes are mine and mine alone. If you see a horrendous mistake don't hesitate to let me know so I can fix it. I hope you enjoy the chapter._

* * *

 **Friday**

 **March 24, 2004**

Draco was _exhausted_.

How did Granger even keep up with their daughter? Surely she had some kind of secret? Not only was Rhea curious, asking him and his parents what purpose nearly every piece of furniture in the house had, but she was also a ball of energy. She spent a lot of her time running around the estate, her attentive grandmother and tired father following behind her.

Before Rhea, he'd thought being a _Death Eater_ was taxing, but chasing down a four-year-old while she ran naked down the hall covered in bubbles was something he'd just never get used to. He couldn't imagine his comrades chasing around their offspring. Most of them would probably have a House Elf do it, but he wasn't built that way. Despite his parent's flaws, they had always loved and cared about him growing up. His father and he had their differences, but he was hoping that the rift between them could be mended.

Rhea showing up in their lives was actually helping more than hindering that rift.

His father tried so hard to pretend he wasn't interested in the little girl, but Draco didn't miss the way his gaze would linger or the muttered words of "just like her father" as she did something rambunctious. He wasn't nearly as attentive to her whims as his mother though. He wondered if his mother had secretly wanted a girl. She sure enjoyed doting on her grandchild.

At least she'd taken a break from the gifts since their discussion. He should be grateful.

It was hard to be grateful for anything, though, when you were running on three hours of sleep and Pepper Up potion.

The last few days had been even _more_ difficult considering his Lord was putting pressure on him to return to the city. He'd gotten away with a bit of "personal leave" but his time was quickly running out. Soon Voldemort would understand his reasons for shirking his duties, but right now he would probably be suspicious. He found himself both anxious and dreading the inevitable meeting. The sooner it happened, the sooner they could get through it, but he was also consumed with worry for Rhea.

She wasn't used to the harsh treatment of someone poking around in her brain. Her age was a factor as well. She was polite but she was still very much a little child. Fear could keep her tight lipped, but even that was not preferable. There was only so much he could do to make sure she didn't slip up in front of him, but he really didn't want to think about that now.

 _Now_ he wanted to enjoy the afternoon trailing after his daughter as she wandered from room to room.

They'd finally stopped in the parlor where his mother's ivory baby grand piano sat as a beautiful, yet rarely used focal point. She had been to the room before but Tilly hadn't let her touch the instrument.

"Daddy? Can I play?" She asked him, hopefully.

He nodded in approval and watched her run her fingers along the keys of the piano, her face bright with excitement and recognition. She climbed up on the bench and pressed down on a few of them, filling the room with a clashing of notes. She laughed at the horrible sound but began playing an unorganized tune.

Just seeing her having fun, curls loose around her shoulders and tiny hands creating music, made his heart ache. She may be the spitting image of him, but she had her mother's soul. She had Hermione's goodness and her ability to face forward and see the light, even when she was in the midst of darkness.

* * *

 _He'd just finished with a meeting between Potter and Lupin when he heard the sound of music playing from the other room. It was lovely, if not a little somber, and he found himself gravitating towards it. It had been so long since he'd heard anyone play, as his mother had stopped while the Dark Lord had taken up residence in the Manor. He wasn't incredibly_ shocked _to see Granger sitting at the old piano, but_ was _surprised to see her hair tamer than usual. It laid in almost perfect curls and he wondered if she'd just gotten out of the bath._

 _He would have stayed there all day and listened to her playing, but he'd much rather speak with her than watch her from the corner of the room._

 _There was just something about Hermione Granger that pulled at him. Whenever he was in the same room as the witch he could feel a certain spark between them. They had shared many conversations and a few heated looks over the last few months and he always found himself seeking her out, even if she wasn't present for meetings._

 _Like now._

" _Rather depressing," he said, coming to a halt beside her, "Isn't it?"_

 _Her fingers banged on the wrong notes as he spoke, obviously startled by his presence. "What?" She asked, turning her head to get a better look at him._

 _He pointed at the piano. "Beethoven, right?"_

 _Shocked, she nodded. "Yes... Moonlight Sonata."_

" _Mmmm. Thought so." He leaned over and played a few notes. "Mother always said that it was a beautiful piece, but I've always found it quite melancholy."_

" _You play the piano?" Her tone was questioning but her face betrayed her excitement._

" _I used to when I was a child. Mother insisted that I learn, but she is far better at it than I am. I never had the patience."_

" _Nooo. Impatient?" She raised a brow, "_ You _?"_

 _He sighed dramatically. "I know I tend to throw out this perfectly cool and calm persona, but I was actually an incredibly spoiled child."_

" _So you got out of lessons with a pout?"_

" _Don't get ahead of yourself there, Granger. Malfoy's do not_ pout _. What we_ do _is propose other equally stimulating activities to our mothers until we get their approval."_

" _And if that didn't work? What was your backup plan? Did you wait them out with a hunger strike or a refusal to use table manners?"_

" _I'm afraid to ask where you came up with that," he replied, trying to get over the absurdity of her words. "But if you_ must _know. I didn't have a backup plan. It_ always _worked. My father agreed that teaching me how to fly was a much better use of my time than playing piano with my mother."_

" _Wow...you really were spoiled."_

" _Can't really choose your parents though, can you, Granger?"_

" _I do suppose that's true, Malfoy."_

 _The conversation lulled then, and as it always did, the spark between them made its presence known. He couldn't stop himself from glancing at her lips as she spoke and he couldn't help but notice the look in her eyes as she regarded him. If they hadn't been in a house full of Order Members, he might have just taken a chance and kissed her right then and there._

 _She turned her attention to the piano again but didn't play. "Shouldn't you be getting back? Surely someone will have noticed your absence."_

" _They may have, but there isn't anything nearly as interesting as you back at the Manor." It wasn't his smoothest line, but he couldn't just leave without at least putting a bit of effort in._

 _Her eyes lit up but her mouth frowned."Was that really your attempt at flirting with me tonight?"_

 _He smirked. "Did it work?"_

 _She laughed and shook her head at him. "Not a chance."_

" _Damn. I thought I had you for sure that time."_

" _I'm afraid you'll just have to try harder next time, Malfoy," she told him, a mischievous smile spreading across her face, "and wait a little longer."_

" _Clever witch," he replied, flashing him a smile of his own._

 _She rose from the bench and yawned. "Well, some of us aren't nocturnal, so this is where I excuse myself." She paused at the doorway. Goodnight, Malfoy."_

 _He gave her a small nod in return."Goodnight, Granger."_

* * *

The sound of footsteps echoing across the marble floor tore him out of his memory.

"Draco." His father stood in the doorway. "It seems you've received an owl from Severus."

That quickly sobered him and he nearly ran to his father to take the parchment from his hands. "Thank you."

"Is this about your request to see the Dark Lord?"

He'd known his father was aware of his request, he wouldn't be himself if he hadn't, but it was a bit jarring to hear the worried tone he'd used when he asked about it. Was he actually nervous and concerned for his granddaughter? Or was he just worried about the Malfoy's reputation?

Either way, Draco was glad he wasn't the only one on pins and needles waiting to hear back.

"Yes, I can assume that it is. Severus never was one to waste precious paper on frivolous endeavors."

He was right. Severus had written to let him know that The Dark Lord was eager to see what important information Draco had for him. The meeting had been set for later that evening. He almost discarded the letter but saw a small ink smudge near the end of his signature.

He quickly folded it and placed it in his pocket.

His godfather never sent smudged letters. If an accident were to happen he would just begin again, so this was deliberate. It was their personal code to let the other know of a secret message on the parchment.

"What did he have to say?" His father asked him before he could rush back to his room to read the note in private.

"We are to meet with our Lord this evening at his estate." He told him. "As a family."

"I'll inform your mother."

He nodded and called for Rhea to follow him to his bedchamber. It would ease his mind to know she was near as he read whatever his godfather had hidden.

He pulled the letter out of his pocket as soon as he was safely behind his door and muttered, "Aparecium."

He watched as the letters rearranged themselves, revealing the true message within.

 _Draco,_

 _I know you are probably relying on a false memory spell to keep your secret hidden from him. I would be inclined to agree with that choice, but to do so without the use of one to modify her behavior would be reckless. Charming, though she is, I would not put my trust in The Dark Lord's reactions to her. One wrong move and we'll all be in trouble. I have no doubt that if anyone were to lay a hand on her your life would automatically be forfeit. There is a way to circumnavigate this problem, though._

 _Might I suggest the Imperius?_

He couldn't read past the sentence.

He was right about planting false memories inside her head for him to sift through, and he was also right about what he should do beyond that. Of course, Draco had thought about it as well, but he wanted it to be the last option. He really didn't want to use such a thing on his own daughter.

"Fuck."

He felt like he was going to be ill.

How was this _any different_ than obliviating her? He was still taking away her choice, and maybe in an even _worse_ way. She would be unable to go against him as long as the spell was enacted. She might not mind or realize that now, but later when she understood what he'd done to her...

She might hate him.

That was a risk he would be willing to take, though, if it saved her life in the end. What was important was getting through the meeting with the least amount of pain as possible. There was a chance that if he played this right, no one would have any reason to question him or his loyalty. If the Dark Lord believed that she was his pureblood, or even half blood, heir, no one would be able to go openly against him. At least when it came to Rhea. To question her legitimacy would be to question the Dark Lord himself. No one was that bloody stupid.

So, _this_ was his best option. He crinkled the letter in his fist. _This_.

He was going to have to let Nott take him out for a drink after tonight.

He steeled himself as he got the little girl's attention. This would not be a fun conversation for either of them. "Rhea, there's something we need to talk about," he told her in a quiet voice,"Something very important."

"What's wrong?" She asked, her tiny brows furrowing in concern. "Are you ok? Are you sick?"

"No, nothing like that," he assured her.

"Then why do you look like that?"

Apparently, he was utter shite at hiding his emotions from his daughter. He crouched down in front of her so she was eye level with him."Daddy is just worried. You see, Daddy has a boss...a very mean boss that is really scary. For you to be able to leave the manor you will have to meet this boss."

"If he's scary I don't want to meet him."

"That's why I need you to listen to me. You _have_ to meet him, Rhea. I'm sorry. There isn't a way to avoid it. But Daddy _knows_ it will be very scary and hard, especially when it comes to remembering what to say and what not to say about your mummy and uncles so I'm going to hel-"

"I won't talk about them. I promise!" Her voice rose an octave and tears were shimmering in her eyes as she stared at him, her hands clutching at his shirt tightly. "I do good. I don't say nothing about them to grandmère. I won't say anything bad!"

He hugged her to his chest, unable to stand the sight of her crying. "I know, Darling. You've done such a good job. You're a good girl, Rhea, and I'm so proud of you." Now _he_ felt like crying. "But this...wizard...has the ability to see inside people's heads. He can see memories and Daddy is scared that he will see something he shouldn't. Even when you aren't saying words with your mouth."

"What's going to happen? I don't want to see the scary man."

"I know, love. I know. But I'm going to take care of it, alright? I'm just going to cast a couple of spells that will help with the memories and the anxie- er...the yucky feelings you'll have. IF I do it, you won't be scared of him. You won't have to be nervous or uncomfortable. You just have to trust me." He pulled her away from his chest to look into her red and swollen eyes. "Can you do that for me? Can you trust Daddy?"

"Will I be alright when we get home?"

"Yes, I promise. Everything will be fine."

"Ok. Daddy. You can do the spell."

He was a horrible father. This little girl was blindly trusting him with her whole being simply because she loved him and this was how he was going to repay that trust? He closed his eyes and summoned the strength within him to cast the curse. His hands clutched his wand tightly to keep them from shaking. This was the only way he could assure her safety.

 _Everything will be alright._

 _Everything will be fine._

 _I can do this._

 _I have to._

 _I made a promise to Hermione._

 _This is the only way._

A frightened voice broke through his mantra, "Daddy?"

He had to do it.

 _Now._

He released the spell. "Imperio."


	10. Part X

_A/N: I apologize for the long wait. This chapter just didn't want to come together the way I wanted it too. I'm still not happy with the result, but I decided I couldn't make you all wait when I had it sitting, finished, in my documents._

 _Also: The beginning of the chapter is told in Narcissa's POV. I know it is usually Hermione and Draco's, but I felt that his mother has some much needed insight._

 _So, here it is, unbeta'd but complete. I hope you like it. :)_

* * *

There was nothing quite like the feeling of anxiety that came with being summoned by the Dark Lord.

Naturally, Narcissa knew her experience with it was far different from that of her husband or son. When Lord Voldemort summoned them via their marks, the pain was evident on their faces. They had a much deeper and more sinister connection to him. Something that she would never fully understand, nor would she want to. She'd been asked, of course, by her sister, but something about it just felt _wrong_ to her, so she had declined. Thank Circe she'd trusted her instincts back then, or she would have had that...thing wriggling on her arm. She only wished she'd followed those instincts when they had come for her son.

If there was only _one_ thing in her life she could go back and change, it would have been allowing Draco to be swept up in the madness. She could have intervened! She _should have_ intervened. She'd had no choice when Lucius fell for the romanticism of the cause, but she could have at least saved her son from the horror it brought.

Until last week she wasn't even sure how much of her beloved and innocent son was left. The things he'd done...well, she didn't want to think about them. Anyone in the Inner Circle would have had to do despicable things to be allowed into the ranks. The day he'd joined them she had cried for hours. All her precious memories of him had started to become distorted. Had he always had such darkness inside him or was his soul just being tainted by the evil that surrounded him?

She didn't really want to know the answer to that, though, so she had started to avoid him. She couldn't stand to look at him. He wasn't her son anymore. He was a stranger. It broke her heart to admit that but it was true. She was far too frightened of the possibilities, so the utter relief she'd felt when she saw the way he was with his daughter was the most intense feeling she'd had in years. She'd looked into his eyes and for once saw _life_ instead of death.

She wasn't ready to give that up.

"Cissa," Lucius called to her, entering their master chambers and stopping when he took in her appearance in the mirror. He sighed, knowing all too well what was on her mind, and came up behind her. "I know it has been awhile since your presence was requested, but please do try to calm down. It will not do any of us any good for you to be fretting over the child."

She spun around to face him. "The _child_ is your granddaughter. Are you not the least bit concerned for her well being?" she asked him incredulously.

He scowled. "Do not try to make me out to be uncaring. She is...I'm getting used to her. Am I concerned? A bit, but not enough to be running about like a madman."

"I know, Lucius. I'm just...she's going to be scared."

He hugged her to his chest and she melted into his warm embrace. "She's a Malfoy. She'll be fine."

She let him hold her a moment longer before breaking away from him. "Thank you. I don't know what's come over me."

He only nodded and went to retrieve something from his nightstand. She quickly powdered her nose and fixed her dress, taking one last look in the mirror before opening the door. When her husband didn't move from his spot near the bed she inquired, "Aren't you coming?"

"I'll be there momentarily," he told her, so she made her way downstairs.

The moment she entered the foyer she knew something was amiss.

Rhea was sitting in a chair, her legs swinging slowly back and forth while she stared absently at the clock over the mantle.

"Darling, what's wrong?" she asked the little girl as she approached.

She looked blankly at her as she responded, "nothing, I'm fine."

To an outsider she would still seem like a completely normal child, but Narcissa had been with her almost every waking hour since she'd arrived. Her face, while still lovely as always, was void of any emotion and her eyes seemed….off. It reminded her of the look Pius had after...

Horrified, she quickly turned her attention to her son, who was staring down at the floor just behind her. A feeling of dread rose up from her stomach. It seemed he had found a way to keep her in line after all. "Draco," she whispered, "you _didn't_."

He wouldn't meet her eyes and looked positively ill. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be, mother. _Please_."

"But-"

This time, he _did_ meet her gaze as he said sternly, "I _cannot_ risk her life. One wrong _word_ , one _misstep_ and she could be taken from us in an instant. I refuse to let that happen. She's….I _love_ her. I'd go mad without her so I did what I had to do to keep her safe. I modified her memories so she won't accidently oust us because I know what he's capable of and I can't let him hurt her."

Her heart ached in her chest when she realized the extent of how much her son truly cared about his daughter. "You are worried about her mother."

Narcissa wasn't naive. She knew there was no way Rhea belonged to a common slag. She was too well behaved and had manners not suited to street filth. Her mother had to be someone important, but she couldn't quite figure out who she was yet. She had little evidence to work with. What _was_ apparent, though, was that her son was worried more about what _memories_ his daughter had, above all else, otherwise he wouldn't have added a memory modification. That in itself proved her theory correct.

Draco nodded solemnly. "Among other things."

"Were you careful?"

He frowned deeply. "This isn't the first time I've used the Imperius Curse, and it won't be the last I'm sure."

She didn't like the sound of that one bit. "I'm only asking because I care."

"I know, mother, but can we please not talk about this any longer? Father is coming."

She didn't respond because her husband was quickly by her side.

"Ready?" he asked them.

They both nodded and Draco took Rheas hand into her granddaughter's other hand, Narcissa tried to still her racing heart as Draco apparated them directly into the Dark Lord's foyer.

* * *

The moment Draco's shoes touched the dark marble floor he put his emotional mask in place. It was something that came second nature to him now, but there was still a part of him that was incredibly apprehensive. He just hoped no one could sense any nervous energy coming off of him. It would prove to be disastrous.

His mother was equally as nervous but he knew the focus would be on him and his daughter. No one would notice the quiver of her lips or the darting of her eyes as she looked around. He was honestly a bit surprised to see her this distraught. She hadn't been like this since the months leading up to him receiving his mark.

"Malfoy,' he heard the voice of McNair call out to him. "I had heard you had something interesting to tell us." The wizard's eyes moved from him to Rhea, "but I must say I wasn't expecting this. Tell me, who is this...lovely child."

"You'll find out at the meeting," he replied curtly.

"A bit defensive aren't you?"

Draco glared at him. "Would you like to test me and find out how defensive I can really be?"

"Draco!" his father hissed, but he paid him no mind. He was still too focused on McNair.

The older wizard shook his head and backed away, almost bumping into Snape as he did so. "No need for that, Malfoy. I'll concede…" he said,frowning, "for now."

Snape grunted as McNair walked off and met Draco's eyes, nodding slightly at his daughter as he passed.

"Draco?" He turned to see Theo Nott walking swiftly toward him, a look of confusion on his face as he stared between him and the retreating Death Eater. "Mate? What is going on? Father told me you requested to meet with The Dark Lord."

"We have some things to discuss," Draco told him.

The brunette stared down at Rhea. "Yes, I'd say so."

"Listen. I'll answer any questions you may still have after the meeting at a later date, but The Dark Lord is waiting."

"Right. I'll speak with you later, then."

Draco stood in the doorway, one hand gripping Rhea's tightly as he breathed deeply, dispelling his nerves as he prepared himself.

His mother leaned close to him, whispering, "Everything will be fine," as she ran her slender fingers through her granddaughters hair.

"I know," he replied, watching his father maneuver her to their spot across the room.

It took a moment for everyone to file into the open room were meetings were held. It seemed that only the members of the Inner Circle and a few other important Death Eaters were in attendance tonight, which suited him just fine. The less people that actually saw Rhea, the better.

Theo moved to stand next to his father, who was the only reason he was there to begin with. Theo was nowhere near Inner Circles status, and for that Draco was grateful. The Inner Circle would destroy him. Small mercies.

When they were all present and accounted for, the meeting began with a loud clap.

Draco cringed slightly when the Dark Lord's eyes fell on him. "I would ask why exactly you requested an audience, but I can see there is no need. Who is this child?"

"I have recently been on the receiving end of some shocking news." He placed his hands on Rhea's shoulders, if only to make them stop trembling. "I'm pleased to present to you my daughter, Rhea Malfoy."

Sounds of shock and awe chimed behind him as The Dark Lord rose from his chair, a look of intrigue on his monstrous face."Yes," he said as he slowly made his way to them, his red eyes never leaving the girl, "the resemblance is...uncanny. I'm quite interested in how this came to be."

"Well, my Lord, my hormones got the best of me after a mission in France."

"Ah, a young man will indeed have his urges," he acknowledged. "Her mother...Who is she?"

Here was where he had to put his acting skills to good use. He put on his best sympathetic face as he shook his head. "In life she was a quiet pureblood girl. Her name was Eileen Dubois. Unfortunately the reason I am in possession of our daughter is because she has passed away."

"I see." He finally stopped circling them and stood before the little girl "Has your father told you who I am?" he asked her.

She nodded, "Yes, my Lord."

He silently cheered. His Imperius was flawless. He had taken extra precaution when he'd instructed her. " _You will only speak when spoken to, and if The Dark Lord addresses you, you must respond appropriately by ending or beginning your sentence with "My Lord"._

"That's good. He has done well." He looked back to Draco. "Of course, I will still have to test her. Well behaved she may be, but manners do not a pureblood make."

"I understand," he confirmed and held his breath to keep himself from doing something stupid.

Silently, but still just as violently, Voldemort entered her mind. He'd used Legimancy so many times it must have become second nature to him. Draco just hoped the false memories would hold up under the pressure.

Rhea began to shake then, and he squeezed her little shoulders to let her know he was still there. She may be imperiused, but she was still a frightened little girl, and to have her mind rummaged through so thoroughly probably hurt.

When he was satisfied, the Dark Lord withdrew from her mind and smiled. That smile had always unnerved Draco but now he was a bit grateful for it. It meant that he had accepted her false memories as truth.

Rhea was still shaking so he pulled her into him, letting her hide her face in his cloak. He'd never wanted to kill the Dark Lord more than he did now.

Oblivious to his follower's treacherous thoughts, the dark wizard spoke. "Draco, it truly does seem a congratulations is in order." A few older Death Eaters made various sounds of disbelief but quieted when their Lord turned to the room. "What our young Malfoy claims, is true. The girl is his biological child and was indeed born of a French pureblood witch. I accept her as the Malfoy heir."

"But my Lord, surely this will affect our plans?" Yaxley questioned.

"On the contrary. I've come to realization that Draco is the first of our young generation of Death Eaters that has procreated. Perhaps it is time for his peers to join him in parenthood. We cannot build an empire without populating it."

Shocked silence followed the statement but a few nodded their agreement. Indeed, Rhea was the only child born to a pureblood family in the last fifteen years. It was time for a new generation.

"I shall issue a mandate later this week," he continued, waving his hand, "For now, you are all dismissed."

It took a great amount of self control to wait patiently for the others to leave while he really wanted to take his daughter and bolt.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pushing her hair out of her sweating face.

"Yes, daddy."

"Good. Good. We'll be home soon, ok?" She nodded and squeezed his hand. "Let's get out of here."

He led her out into the hall where his mother and father were waiting, but Theo caught up to him before he could make it to them and the disapparating point.

"Well, Daphne will be happy to hear that our Lord agrees with her on the baby front."

"I wasn't aware that the Mrs. had the fever."

"Fever? It's more like a bloody inferno. She even attempted to seduce me with quidditch themed lingerie."

That actually made him laugh a bit, picturing Daphne sprawled across Theo's bed in nothing but Tutshill Tornado knickers. "My condolences."

"It's not funny," he pouted, "I'm not ready to be a father."

Draco sobered immediately, his voice taking on a serious tone as he told him, "I wasn't either, but the moment Rhea showed up in my life I saw things differently. It's hard….but it's worth it."

Theo nodded. "And I can't wait to hear that story...but I suppose you'll be wanting to get back. That was quite a show. I've never seen a child so polite and calm in the presence of our Lord. I'm sure I look positively ill every time he addresses me. She did very well."

"Yes she did." he agreed. There was no need to let Theo in on just why she behaved so well. "And you're right. It's been a long night and I want to get her back. Bedtime comes early these days." Theo smiled but before he could leave Draco added, "Oh, I want you to come to the manor tomorrow. Bring Blaise with you."

His eyes darkened in understanding. "Got it. See you tomorrow then," he waved and turned back to the room in which his father was.

After making eye contact with his own father and mother, Draco picked Rhea up and disappeared on the spot, wanting to spend not a moment longer in Voldemort's estate.


	11. Part XI

**A/N at end**

* * *

As soon as the familiar smell of home hit him, Draco's chest expanded and he sucked in a huge breath as he propelled his still distraught daughter toward his room. He could hear his mother and father entering the drawing room behind him but he paid them no mind. He needed to get the bloody spell off her. He had to make this right.

As if he could.

There wasn't a way to make it right. He'd done something cruel, even if it was the only way he could think of to protect her. He would never earn her forgiveness.

As if she would forgive him after being tortured like that.

As if he deserved to be forgiven in the first place.

"Draco!" his mother's voice drifted to his ears but he couldn't focus on it. He had to undo the spell. He had to do it now.

He practically slammed the door behind them and dropped to his knees in front of her, lifting the spell with a quick mutter and running a shaking hand over her head and stopping to cup her face.

Sparkling blue eyes tearily blinked up at him. "Daddy?"

He swallowed hard. "Are you...are you alright?"

Stupid. Of course she wasn't alright!

But she was nodding yes. "I'm ok. I'm ok Daddy. It was scary but we are home now."

He pulled her into an almost bone crushing hug and blinked back tears. She was so much like her mother. So brave. So strong. Nothing like him. "I'm sorry, Rhea," he choked, eyes burning. "Daddy's so sorry."

Tiny hands wrapped around his neck. "It's ok, Daddy. Don't cry."

How could such a tiny person bring him this much guilt and pain? "No, it's not. Daddy did something bad, even if it was for a good reason. It was still bad. It was still wrong. I'm sorry. I'll always be sorry about it."

"It's ok. The bad man was scary and it hurt but I didn't tell any secrets. You said it would help me be good. It worked. So, it's ok. Nobody knows about mommy."

Gods he loved this little girl. Wise beyond her years and so incredibly forgiving. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve her light and kindness in his life. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears fell, undoubtedly soaking her brilliant locks.

"Draco." He turned to look behind him. His mother stood in the doorway and she hesitantly walked forward. "It's alright now, darling." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You both did well. It's over."

He wanted to tell her it was nowhere close to being over, but he could never tell her. She could never know the bigger secrets he kept close to his heart. So he just jerked his head in acknowledgement and let her comfort him in the only way she knew how.

The three of them stayed frozen like that, huddled in an awkward embrace until his eyes were dry and the ache in his chest had subsided. Then they did what Malfoy's always do and locked their feelings away before forcing themselves to eat dinner like the nasty event had never happened.

That was fine. He would take the small reprieve before his nightmares reminded him what kind of person he was when he went to bed that night.

* * *

 **Saturday**

 **March 26, 2004**

Today was the day.

He was going to have to explain to his friends the reasons why he hadn't disclosed his daughters existence to them before now. But before he did anything, Draco searched his office for any watcher spells and cast a few blocking wards. It was an hour of hard work before he felt safe enough to take a seat and sort through what he was going to say. They would most likely be angry and they had every right to be. It wasn't just their friendship on the line, it was their cooperation and position in his years long plot to gain an upper hand in The Inner Circle.

"Master Draco," Wimsy's deep voice spoke suddenly beside his desk, "Mr. Nott and Mr. Zabini have arrived."

Draco nodded to the house elf, "Send them up."

The creature bowed, "As you wish, Master."

A few moments later he could hear his friends speaking outside of the door before it was unceremoniously thrown open, revealing a rather cross Blaise. "So what's this I hear about our fearless leader having a miniature version of himself running about? When exactly were you planning on telling us?"

Theo followed the wizard into the room and shut the door behind him, "At least take a breath before going after him, mate."

Blaise shook his head and glared at Draco before taking a seat in front of his desk. "No, I think he owes us a right fine explanation for this bunch of bullocks."

Draco understood why his friend would be so distraught by the news, but his intensity threw him off just a bit. "You're right. I do owe you an explanation and my sincerest apologies."

Blaise gave Theo a smug look as the brunette sat down next to him. "Let's hear it then."

Draco sighed and rubbed his temples before starting. "First, I want you to know that this wasn't something I've been hiding from you for years." That seemed to make the two men relax a bit as he continued, "I only found out about my daughter a few weeks ago, and believe me, I was as ill prepared for that news as you were. I had no idea I had...fathered a child and it was quite the shock. I had to take time to fully get used to the idea and then I had to figure out how to explain the situation to everyone, including The Dark Lord without causing an uproar. I admit I should have told you two sooner. You would have helped me, but I didn't want to burden anyone until I had more time to think."

It was Theo who spoke first. "But why now? After all these years, why would her mother come forward now?"

"Rhea could have been in danger so she wanted to leave her in my care."

Draco could see the wheels turning behind Blaise's dark eyes. "Danger, huh?" he hummed, "Tell me, mate, just who exactly is the girls mother? Theo gave me some shite about a pretty little french girl, but I don't buy that for a second. I don't recall too many missions to France five years ago. So, is it someone we know?"

Heat rose to his face at his friends question. "It doesn't matter."

"I think it does, otherwise you wouldn't have been so concerned about our Lord finding out about her."

Before he could answer the door opened once more and in walked the very subject of their talk. "Oh, are these your friends, Daddy?"

He couldn't really be mad at her for interrupting. They were both still recovering from the Imperius spell he had to cast. So instead of being cross he stood from his desk and made his way to her, bending down slightly to speak with her. "Yes, darling." he motioned to Theo. "This is Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini. Daddy went to school with them."

"Oh, I see! It's nice that you have friends, Daddy."

"Yes it is," he agreed, "but Daddy has some important business with his friends right now, Rhea. So we need to have some privacy. We will be down in awhile and I will introduce you all properly." He stood and ushered her back out the door, " It's almost tea time, why don't you find Grandmere and tell her you'd like to take it on the veranda today?"

The little girl smiled and nodded. "Okay, Daddy. I'll see you later." She looked behind him and waved at the two wizards still sitting and eyes glued on her. "Bye Mr. Nott and Mr. Zabini! I'll meet you later!"

They both gave small waves of their own as she disappeared down the hall.

"You know," Blaise started as Draco returned to his chair, "She really reminds me of someone…"

Suddenly Theo's eyes widened in realization and he pointed an accusing finger at Draco. "You were working for The Order back then, playing spy."

Blaise looked just as shaken at the statement, a bit fearful even. "Mate, please don't tell me it's who I think it is."

Draco tried hard not to react. "I don't know what you mea-"

"You fathered a damn _princess_ of The Resistance."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It's not exac-"

"No wonder you took your bloody time telling anyone," Theo interjected, "How the fuck did you hide that information from _him_?"

"You do realize this puts our _whole_ operation at risk, right?" Blaise added before Draco could even speak again. "We've been working for years, Draco. _Years_! This could destroy all our progress! Not to mention the chances of it exposing us."

He frowned. "Of course I realize the risks, and I know what's at stake more than anyone, Blaise! But what else would you have me do? Abandon her? If you had seen her that night...There's no way I could ever do that. We are doing what we're doing for the future of Wizarding Britain. She's part of that future. In fact, she's the fucking face of that future now. If anything I'm even _more_ determined to see our plans through."

The two of them looked a mix of horrified and understanding. "Fine. I will give you that. I don't know how I'd react if it were me. But how do wish for us to proceed?" Blaise finally asked after a few moments of silence. "Do we continue on like nothing ever happened, or will this change everything?"

"Our goals remain the same." He insisted. "The Dark Lord took the news rather...well...so it shouldn't change anything but the timeline. If we can move that up I wouldn't be upset, but we also cannot rush things or we may get sloppy." He sighed then, remembering one deviation he wanted to make. "But there _is_ something that has come to my attention that disturbs me. We need more information about raids being issued for the sole purpose of taking children prisnor, and by whom the issues are being made."

Theo looked sick at the prospect. "I could dig around at the main estate," he offered, "See if my old man has anything to do with that."

"Thank you. That would help immensely. Rhea is no longer in danger but it still doesn't set well with we can do something to protect the children in the slums, I'd feel like we were actually making some sort of progress."

"What about me? Should I just continue my project?"

"Yes, we need to find out what my aunt is hiding. If you can still stomach spending time with the LeStrange brothers then that's our best bet."

"They have some strange tastes, that's for sure," he replied, "but I can deal with it. You're the one in the thick of things. Are you still holding up alright?"

"I'm fine." Or as fine as one could be when being ordered to murder and maim on a weekly, if not daily basis. "I can keep it up for as long as I have to." His thoughts flashed to blue eyes and a bright smile. "And I have an even bigger reason to see this through now."

"Should I relate everything back to Daph?" Theo asked.

"As long as proper precautions are taken then I don't see why not. I don't want her to make any moves without my say so, though. I will need her soon, but it's not the right time yet. Make sure she knows I'm not leaving her out."

"I'll let her know."

The weight of the last week felt like it was lifting off his shoulders. He could share the responsibility of raising Rhea with his parents, but there was nothing like sharing the truth of her parentage and disclosing his true feelings to another person. "Thank you both for hearing me out."

Blaise rolled his eyes, "Oh stop before you hurt yourself. We understand the situation now."

"I still didn't want you to think I was hiding things from you."

"Like I said, we understand the reasons now. No need to get all sentimental on us."

"Fine," he conceded. "Then I think we are done here."

"Does that mean we finally get to meet the woman of the hour?" Theo asked.

"I did promise her that I'd formally introduce you," He stretched as he stood and motioned for them to follow him out of the room. "Though don't think I won't kick you out of the manor if you aren't on your best behavior."

"You act as though we aren't civil company, Draco, I'm offended." Theo laughed.

"You forget how many times I've seen your uncivil side, Theodore." he mocked, "And I won't have you corrupting my daughter."

Before they made their way downstairs he heard Blaise snort, "How could we possibly corrupt her? Her mum is Hermione-bloody-Granger. Salazar help us all."

Salazar help them indeed.

* * *

 **Hi Everyone! I'm so sorry for the year long hiatus but as you know, RL gets in the way. I know it's not a long chapter and it's unbeta'd as usual but I couldn't help myself. The muse hit me tonight so I was able to give you at least a tiny update.** **I hope you at least enjoy it a little bit and I hope to continue with updates as my inspiration flows.**

 **ALSO! RL has given me another thing to add to the mix. I'm having a little girl in February! This is baby number 2 and my last one so I'm super excited and I am praying that my writing mojo holds on until she is born so I can crank out a few more chapters of this and my other WIP's.**

 **Wish me luck!**


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